The Traitors Followers
by GunnerGirl
Summary: READ IT PLEASE! and review! It's the story of a girls life after she is blooded by Cyrus, the assistant of the so called traitor Kurda Smahlt.
1. Places to go, People to meet

I wasn't ready to be alone again, I wouldn't ever be ready, but this was unfair. I made my way through the streets, people were staring at me curiously as I hurried by and although I probably looked a state nobody asked me if they could help. I turned off into the alley behind the bakery and the Italian restaurant. By this time the sobs were shaking my body so much that I could barely walk. I staggered to the end of the alley and collapsed there, curling up into the corner and pulling the hood of my top over my face. I cried myself into an uneasy sleep, my night haunted by the terrible memories of the past few days.

I had been so exhausted from the walk back to Kushborough that I slept through until five o'clock the next evening. I was woken by the gorgeous smells coming from the Italian restaurant, I sniffed the air half-heartedly and then reluctantly got to my feet. Everything seemed suddenly like a chore, I wasn't hungry, I wasn't thirsty, I wasn't hot, I wasn't cold, the only thing I felt was a deep emptiness There was nothing left in my life except for me, walking through a never ending thick white fog, where nothing lived any more. Everybody and everything was dead, grey smudges in the distance that couldn't quite penetrate the bubble of monotonous nothingness around me. I didn't know what to do, where to go, so I stood on the corner of the street, watching the busy shoppers bustle by. I wandered into the nearby newsagents to see what day it was, the heating warmed me up but I couldn't stand the looks people were giving me. I picked up the first newspaper that came to hand… Saturday, then I walked over to the chill cabinets, hid a sausage roll up my sleeve for lunch, put a bar of chocolate in my pocket and walked out of the newsagents, back into the street. I went into the public toilets and washed my face, it was just like old times.

I had lived on the streets for a few months before and I soon got back into the swing of things, the begging, the stealing, the new label 'homeless person' that went with the subheadings 'drug addict', 'alcoholic' or 'thief'. The last one was only true of me because I had to steal to survive. Last time had never been as bad as this. Have you ever heard that saying, 'It's best not to know what you're missing'? That's what summed up my situation. I was fine on my own, without love, without comfort, but now… well, things seemed a lot more miserable. I went back to the alley and sat there, thinking, remembering, and hurting. I had only one thing with me, my diary. I hadn't written in it for a few days, what with everything that had happened it was the last thing on my mind, now I looked through it, from the first day I got it. I flicked past the pages about my everyday life on the streets and then stopped at the place where my real adventure had started.

I'm not entirely sure whether what happened was good or not, I might have just gone from bad to worse. I was asleep in the bus shelter and a young man came and sat at the end of the bench. I opened one eye and looked at him, noticing his pale face and untidy light brown hair, I also noticed the wallet poking out of the pocket of his light blue coat. The man seemed to be daydreaming, whistling softly in no particular tune. I couldn't believe my luck and slowly I lifted my arm, he didn't notice, I took the wallet out of the pocket gently and then hid it up my shirt. He didn't see a thing, so I lay in the dark bus shelter, smiling to myself as I watched the traffic rush by. A large red bus stopped and the young man stood up, he turned and looked at me, smiling.

"I'll need five pounds from my wallet to pay for the bus fare," he said calmly.

"Err… Excuse me?" I said immediately. I sat up on the bench trying my best to look innocent.

"Five pounds, from the wallet you stole from me, you can keep the rest," the man said. I didn't know what to say. I pulled the wallet out from under my shirt and stared at it, the man bent and took it gently from me. He took out a five-pound note and handed the wallet back to me, then he turned and got onto the bus. I looked inside the wallet, there were a heck of a lot of notes in there! Before I knew what I was doing I stood up and hopped onto the bus, shoving another five-pound note from the wallet into the bus driver's hands and saying quickly that she could keep the change. The man was sitting at the back of the bus and he watched me curiously as I started towards him.

"Can I help you?" he asked with a grin as I sat down next to him.

"Why would you do that?" I asked quietly.

"Do what?" he said innocently.

"Give me all that money for no reason," I replied.

"I can get money easily, you looked like you needed it," he said warmly.

"But I stole it from you," I persisted.

"I know, which proves to me that you were desperate," the man said.

"Thank you," I whispered and looked into the man's deep green eyes, they were full of kindness.

By this time the bus had begun to rumble along the road, we were the only passengers.

"My name is Cyrus," the man said, offering me his hand.

"I'm Ember," I replied uncertainly, shaking it.

"Where are you going Ember?" Cyrus asked.

"Nowhere," I said honestly. "How about you?"

"I'm staying in a hotel at the moment, I travel." Cyrus replied.

"That must be exciting, I bet you see a lot of interesting things," I smiled.

"You have no idea," Cyrus said, grimacing, " But you know, the hotel gave me a two bedroom room, I've got a spare bed for a few nights."

"Oh… no, no I'm sorry I couldn't" I murmured. The man might have been kind but that didn't mean he was trustworthy, there were a lot of dangerous people around.

"Ok then," Cyrus, said gently. The bus slowed down and he stood up. "If you want my advice Ember, find a phone box and ring this number, they'll know what to do," he said handing me a piece of paper with a phone number scrawled on it.

"Thank you," I said again and Cyrus got off of the bus. The bus doors hissed shut and I stared out of the window at the gloomy street outside. A light drizzle was running down the glass and I saw Cyrus crossing the road to a hotel opposite, his coat pulled over his head so he didn't get wet. The bus started to roll along again and, making a split decision, I jumped up and told the bus driver to stop. She frowned at me and then smiled as I jumped off of the bus, thanking her for the ride and apologising for making her stop so suddenly. I ran across the road and yelled at the top of my voice.

"Cyrus! Cyrus wait a minute!" I called. Cyrus stopped and turned to me.

"Yes?" he asked, grinning. I sighed, knowing I was breaking every rule ever created about stranger danger.

"You still got that free room you were talking about?" I asked.

"Sure," Cyrus replied and pulled the hood of my top up over my head.

The hotel was nice, there was a TV and a big table and a cooker. The microwave didn't work but there was a new kettle that had just been fitted apparently and an Ironing board, not that Cyrus did any ironing, I don't think he had any luggage at all! I got up late that morning, I was enjoying being in a proper bed so much, but when I did get up there was a note on the kitchen table for me from Cyrus.

Ember,

I work during the night so I need to sleep in the daytime, please don't wake me. My bedroom is off limits, the hotel key is in the plant pot by the door if you want to go out but be back by eight o'clock tonight. Take care

Cyrus

I smiled, feeling looked after and took the key out of the plant pot, closing the door behind me quietly so as not o wake Cyrus up. I went out into town with some of Cyrus' money and bought him a box of chocolates with it to thank him for being so kind to me. I then went to the cinema and got some fast food afterwards. When I came back at about half past seven that evening, Cyrus was awake, only just, and was at the kitchen table sipping coffee absentmindedly. The curtains were pulled shut so I went to open them.

"No, no, leave it," Cyrus groaned.

"Why? It's still light outside, it might wake you up a bit," I said.

"I don't do well in sunlight," Cyrus muttered.

"What are you a vampire?" I laughed.

"Well… I need to talk to you about something," Cyrus said, he sat up, looking more alert and then dropped his gaze.

"If you want me to leave, I'll go," I sighed.

"No, no!" Cyrus cried, "No I don't want you to leave, don't be silly! But I'm not sure you'll want to stay when you hear what I have to say,"

"Well, I have got another idea as to what you have to say," I said, grinning, "It sounds crazy, but are you really a vampire?"

"… yes," Cyrus said quietly, he looked up at me questioningly, my eyes were wide and I was truly shocked. I was also a little scared and he must have seen this because he started to explain, "But I don't drain people's blood and turn them into bats…"

"Yeah, I know, " I sighed, "You make small cuts with your fingernails and drink small amounts of blood, you can't fly or turn into anything else but your senses are ten times sharper and you live ten times longer than humans. You don't have fangs, you'll die if exposed to sunlight for more than a few hours and you can be killed In pretty much the same way as humans,"

Cyrus gaped at me open mouthed.

"How do you know these things?" he asked, amazed.

"I had a pen friend on the Internet, I thought he was crazy but in the back of my head I knew what he said made sense. I met him on a chat room once and we e-mailed each other for two years until… well, until I had to leave home. Steve-the-vampire-slayer, he was great, a bit too serious but he was one of my best friends," I explained. "I miss him."

"Well, there's a library down the road, couldn't you try to e-mail him from one of their computers?" Cyrus suggested.

"I suppose I could, but shall we get back to the problem of you being a vampire?" I grinned uncertainly.

"Is it a problem then?" Cyrus asked.

"You wouldn't have told me if you thought it wasn't," I replied.

"The real problem is that I'm leaving for vampire mountain in three days and I'll be chucking you back on the streets again," Cyrus sighed.

"Mmm," I said sadly.

"Unless you want to come with me," Cyrus suggested, this was what he'd been getting at the whole time of course.

"But I can't go to Vampire Mountain, I'm not a vampire, I'm food!" I cried, shaking my head.

"Well… that was the other thing, life as a vampire is really not all that bad and…"

"No!" I interrupted, "No way, I know how people become vampires, the whole cutting the fingers and transferring the blood, and I know the risks involved. I can't even stand the sight of blood when I fall and cut myself who knows what I'd do if I was being blooded!" I screeched.

"It was just a suggestion," Cyrus said defensively.

"Well, can't you… can't I come with you anyway, you can carry me up the mountain if I get tired, I mean you're extra strong aren't you and I can just pretend I'm a half-vampire," I suggested.

"Don't be stupid!" Cyrus laughed, "They'd know instantly you weren't a vampire, you don't smell like a vampire, you don't act like a vampire, the vampaneze would suck you dry and eat you for dinner!"

"I thought we were talking about vampires," I said, raising an eyebrow.

"We are but… well… it's complicated, things have been happening between the two clans recently and… well… I'm assisting my friend Kurda trying to make peace with the vampaneze to save the vampires… it's complicated," Cyrus said awkwardly.

"Sounds it," I said, my head spinning.

"At least think about the vampire thing yeah? You've got three days but there's no going back if you decide to do it," Cyrus said and then we changed the subject and spent the night laughing and talking about random things.

This morning I went to the library, leaving Cyrus to get some sleep. I sat at one of the computers and tried to remember my e-mail address and password, it had been a long time. I had a cold and kept sniffing and having to blow my nose and the librarian was giving me a nasty look. I just smiled at her and thought what a miserable old bat she was. That jogged my memory and I typed in my password. I didn't have any new messages surprisingly but I checked on my instant messenger to see who was online and as luck would have it the only name that flashed was Steve-the-vampire-slayer. I smiled to myself thinking what a great idea this was of Cyrus', I hadn't spoken to a friend my own age for a long time, it would do me good.

**ChatGal: **_Hey Steve! Long time no see__  _

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer**_: Oh hello, I haven't heard from you in a long time, how have you been? _

**ChatGal**_: Yeah, I'm sorry I haven't been in touch but a lot of things have been happening in my life. I'm staying with a real vampire at the moment, sorry for having doubted you, I thought you made it up!_

There was a long pause before Steve replied.

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer**_: Really? Are you alright?_

**ChatGal: **_Yes, he's very kind to me, he wants me to join the vampire clan! What do I do?_

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer**_: Don't! If I was you I'd get out of there as soon as possible, the vampire's probably using you as an easy blood source, he'll drain you dry if you're not careful. I consider you a friend, I don't want anything to happen to you. _

**ChatGal**_: If he was using me as a blood source why ask me to join the clan? Vampire blood is poisonous to them isn't it? That's what you told me._

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer**_: Yes, but maybe it just doesn't want you to become suspicious._

**ChatGal: **_So what should I do?_

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer: **_Kill it, it can't be trusted. None of them can, I told you when we chatted before that they're' nasty creatures, they're' clever too. Drive a stake through its heart while its sleeping. _

**ChatGal: **_But he hasn't done anything to me!_

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer**_: not yet, but has it been hunting recently? Has it gone out during the night? _

**ChatGal**_: No. Why? _

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer**_: Then what has it been drinking? _

**ChatGal: **_I've only been there two nights._

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer: **_All the same I don't think you should risk it, better safe then sorry. If you want I can come and kill it for you, give me the address, I think I know how. I suppose I'd better get some practise in sometime if I want to become a vampire slayer. _

**ChatGal: **_Why do you hate vampire's so much? What have you got against them? _

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer: **_A pair of them has ruined my life. They're all dishonest, vile, filthy creatures. I don't want to talk about it before you ask. _

**ChatGal: **_ok_

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer: **_So what are you going to do? _

**ChatGal: **_I'm still not sure. _

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer: **_Well, if you do decide to become a vampire, here's a picture of the person who'll be standing over you with a bloody stake in one hand as you take your last breaths! _

A picture of a dark haired, dark eyed, pale faced teenager appeared below the last message.

**ChatGal: **_Steve don't be like that!_

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer: **_This vampire, is it asleep now?_

**ChatGal**_: Please don't refer to him as an 'it', he's not an animal. _

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer: **_Of course it is! I can't believe you don't see past its act! _

**ChatGal: **_Shut up! I think that you're the animal, Steve, not Cyrus! _

**Steve-the-vampire-slayer: **_Yeah, well, if the vampire doesn't kill you first then it means I will. I hope for your sake that our paths don't cross. I thought we were friends. _

**ChatGal: **_So did I. If our paths do cross I'll take pleasure in scratching your ratty little face off you evil killer!_

With that I logged off of the messenger and walked out of the library feeling upset and confused.

Later on I was watching TV when Cyrus came out of his room yawning and stretching.

"Are the curtains shut?" he groaned.

"Yes, I just shut them when I heard you get up and there's a mug of strong, black coffee on the table," I replied.

"Thank you!" Cyrus said, he sounded thoroughly pleased. "Have you eaten?"

"Yes!" I laughed, he sounded like my mother!

"And you've drunk plenty of water?"

"Yes, don't worry, and I had a glass of that cranberry juice from the jug in the fridge," I sighed.

"Oh dear, one problem," Cyrus said, stopping in his tracks and taking a deep breath.

"What?"

"Well that wasn't cranberry juice,"

"What was it then… oh no! No way!" I cried, feeling suddenly very sick.

"I bottled some at the beginning of the week so I wouldn't have to go hunting! Couldn't you taste that it wasn't cranberry juice?" he said, astonished.

"I've got a cold!" I shrieked.

"Well it doesn't exactly look like juice!"

"I didn't look at it, I never thought…" I trailed off helplessly.

"I can't believe you did that!" Cyrus said, he looked as if he was in pain but then I realised that he was trying to stop himself from laughing. He couldn't hold it in for long and burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter! I didn't really see what was funny but then I suppose I wouldn't.

"It's not funny, it's wrong!" I growled.

"Aww, I'm sorry. Did you talk to your friend?" Cyrus asked when he'd stopped laughing.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"And?"

"It didn't go too well,"

"How come?"

"Apart from the fact that he wanted me to kill you, he just wasn't how I remembered him," I said sadly.

"Kill me?" Cyrus said, feigning shock "Now why would anybody want to do that? I'm only a blood sucking vampire!"

"Maybe he heard you snoring from where he is, I know that everyone else did!" I laughed.

"You cheeky cow, I don't snore!" Cyrus said.

"No you don't really," I said, grinning, "It's more like an elephant trumpeting away in there!"

"Ooh, you're getting a bit big for your boots eh? If you're coming with me I'll have to bring some tape and stick your mouth shut!" Cyrus laughed and then stopped. We were silent for a few minutes, thinking about what we were going to say. Cyrus took a deep breath and sighed.

"I'm leaving tomorrow night, Ember, will you be coming with me?"

"I don't know," I said quietly. I had a big decision to make, I could either keep my only friend, or I could keep my humanity.

"Ember I don't want to leave you alone again, I know you can look after yourself but sometimes to survive you have to live. Is there really anything left for you here?" Cyrus reasoned.

"…No," I sighed slowly, " And I'd come with you without a second thought but I don't think I'm ready to become a vampire, maybe when I'm older if I meet a vampire I'll choose to then, because I wouldn't mind being one. But I don't think I'm strong enough to cope with the fighting and survive among the toughened. I don't think I could make it for the rest of my life without my humanity, there are so many things that I haven't been able to experience yet and if I become a vampire now I'll never experience them,"

"I understand," Cyrus said and smiled warmly. And that smile ripped me to pieces and I knew that if I lost Cyrus now I'd regret it for the rest of my life. I burst into tears, the first time I had done so in many, many months.

"Cyrus, please! Let me come with you anyway, I can learn. If I drag you down you can leave me, but I don't think I'll be able to survive now I've had a taste of what it would be like to be cared for!"

I howled and rested my head in my arms, covering my face with my hair, ashamed of admitting that I needed someone.

"I don't know what to do for the best, I've got to admit that I've grown attached to you already and I don't want to leave you. But the journey to Vampire Mountain is hard enough for a vampire to take let alone a human child," Cyrus said softly and stroked my head gently. I looked up at him and brushed the tears from my face.

"At least I'd die knowing my life wasn't completely pointless, if I attempted to come with you then I would at least achieve something," I sniffed. Cyrus was silent for a long time.

"You've got me twisted round your little finger already Trouble," he sighed eventually, " You can come with me, but if you can't cope then you have to promise you'll let me blood you, I won't let you die."

"Oh Cyrus, you're brilliant! Nobody has ever been as nice to me as you," I said, smiling.

"Ok, enough of the mush, you'll make me cry!" Cyrus laughed.

"Cry then!" I yelled and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a hug. He stiffened as if embarrassed and then relaxed, hugging me back.

"I don't understand why we can't just take a plane all the way to this mountain!" I whined.

"Because it's traditional to walk and vampires are all about tradition, just be grateful we got a plane to the right part of the country!" Cyrus laughed. "Kurda told me that years ago we had to walk that too, he might have just been pulling my leg though."

"Who exactly is Kurda? You mentioned earlier that we're meeting him," I said.

"Kurda was the vampire who blooded me, I don't know what he'll do when he finds out about you, it might not be pretty," Cyrus sighed.

"He wouldn't… he wouldn't kill me would he?" I asked quietly. Cyrus looked at me for a moment and then started laughing, he laughed for quite a few minutes and couldn't stop.

"Kurda! Kill you! Are you kidding? He wouldn't hurt a fly!" Cyrus choked eventually when he'd stopped laughing. I smiled, glad that I'd made Cyrus laugh and then I pulled the collar of my sweater up over my face to try and block out some of the cold. I was wearing three sweaters and two pairs of jogging bottoms, Cyrus had also bought me a pair of hiking boots. Although it was tradition that vampires didn't wear shoes on the journey to Vampire Mountain I wasn't a vampire so the rules didn't matter to me. We'd been walking for about four days in the freezing cold, there wasn't a sign of any other life about and I wasn't sure how much more I could stand.

"Kurda should be meeting up with us sometime in the next few days but he might have problems finding us," Cyrus told me.

"You've never heard of mobile phones?" I asked. Cyrus just smiled.

The next day I was woken by muttering voices in the cave we were resting in. It was almost dusk so we would be leaving again shortly. I opened my eyes and watched as three strange men stood around Cyrus who was curled up asleep in the opposite corner. I wasn't scared, I knew that one of the men had to be this Kurda that Cyrus was talking about and the other two were probably just friends.

"Someone find some charcoal and we'll draw on him!" one of the men whispered, he had a cheeky, boyish face and long, dyed plum hair that was tied up in a ponytail with green ribbon. All three of them were giggling and twittering like children. I moved my hand to cover my mouth so I wouldn't be heard laughing and a loose piece of gravel went skidding across the cave floor. I didn't want the men to know that I was awake so I stretched my arms out and rolled over slightly so it would appear to them that I was just moving in my sleep. I had my eyes very slightly opened so they wouldn't see but I could watch what was going on. They were looking at me curiously.

"Hey Kurda?" the man with the ponytail asked, addressing a man with blonde hair and brilliant, sparkling blue eyes, "Who do you think that is?" he gestured at me.

"I don't know," Kurda replied, shrugging, "I'm sure Cyrus has a reason,"

"Does Cyrus have a reason for anything?" the man with the ponytail snorted.

"Hey Sparcalo?" asked the man who hadn't spoken yet, he was tall with a hedge of untidy black hair on his head and a sparkling, jewelled stud in his nose, he was smiling sweetly.

"What?" the man with the ponytail replied.

"Shut up!"

"Hey!" Sparcalo growled and tried to throw a punch at the other man who ducked. Sparcalo's fist went sailing threw the air and he tripped over a large rock, falling straight on top of Cyrus. Cyrus woke with a start, yelped, and then tried to stand up.

"You're crushing me!" he cried. Sparcalo rolled off of Cyrus and stood up, brushing himself off. By this time I was laughing so much the tears were falling down my face.

"Couldn't you just shake me?" Cyrus snapped. The three men laughed and Kurda held his hand out for Cyrus and pulled him to his feet. Cyrus pulled Kurda and Sparcalo into a strong embrace while the man with the black hair watched, smiling. Kurda pulled away from Cyrus and put an arm around the man.

"This is Oric," he said, "I blooded him last year,"

Oric and Cyrus shook hands and nodded at each other, smiling.

"And now it's your turn for the introductions," Kurda said smiling, "Who's the young lady in the corner?"

All eyes were suddenly on me, I sat and looked around at the four faces watching me, it was a bit too late to pretend that I was still asleep!

"Err… this is Ember," Cyrus said, grinning weakly.

"Oh Cyrus, you know what my views are on blooding children!" Kurda sighed.

"Yes I know," Cyrus said, looking at the floor, almost in shame.

"Then why did you do it Thicko?" Sparcalo said.

"Oh shut up Sparky!" Cyrus growled.

"I swear to the Gods Cyrus, if you call me Sparky again I'll…" Sparcalo began but Kurda interrupted.

"Will you two stop bickering! I feel like your mother!" he tutted, "But Cyrus… why?"

"I didn't blood her I swear!" Cyrus said defensively.

"She belongs to a dead friend?"

"No,"

"Well spill the beans,"

"She's not a vampire, she…tagged along," Cyrus said lamely.

"Oh for… what are you going to do with her?" Kurda sighed.

"Take her to vampire mountain, I thought maybe she could stay in the tunnels with the vampaneze and…"

"Do you even listen to yourself when you talk?" Sparcalo interrupted.

"Butt out Sparky!" Cyrus snarled.

"Oh you are really asking for it!"

"Here we go again," Kurda groaned, "But Cyrus, Sparcalo does have a point, how many seconds do you think she would last with a group of hungry vampaneze?"

"Well I thought maybe you could…"

"No! I'm not having any part of this! Don't you think I've got enough on my plate as it is?" Kurda cried.

"It's like having my stupid little brother living with me all over again!" Sparcalo muttered. They carried on bickering like this for almost twenty minutes but I lost interest and so, apparently, had Oric. He came and sat down on the floor next to me and we talked together quietly.

"Ember was it?" he asked.

"Yeah, just out of curiosity, am I invisible? I swear they're talking like I'm not even here," I said sarcastically.

"They haven't seen each other in years, I think it's their way of saying hello," Oric replied, grinning. "How old are you?"

"Fourteen, you?"

"Twenty-seven,"

"You look older,"

"Kurda's the oldest one here, he's a hundred and twenty,"

"A hundred and twenty!" I gasped.

"Yeah, and Sparcalo's getting on for eighty,"

"You're kidding?"

"No, honestly,"

"What about Cyrus?"

"I don't know, I only just met him in person but by what Kurda said I think he's about forty, maybe forty-five,"

I looked over at Cyrus who was grinding his teeth and looking furious.

"What am I supposed to do with her?" he was yelling.

"We can take her down to the nearest village, someone's bound to take her in," Sparcalo spat, throwing his arms in the air.

"And what if they don't? What if she's left all alone again, struggling to keep herself going? Don't you have any heart at all?" Cyrus asked. I sighed and stood up.

"I've had enough of this," I muttered to Oric and then strolled over to the three arguing vampires.

"Oi!" I yelled, "Oi!"

They shut up and turned to look at me.

"Yeah?" Sparcalo said rudely.

"Oh you can see me then, the way you were talking I thought I didn't exist," I snarled.

"Ember, just a bit of advice, that's not going to help," Cyrus muttered.

"I just want to inform you that if you want to stop me from coming with you, you have a problem." I said, drawing myself up to my full height, " I'm going to follow you whether you like it or not and I'm not budging!"

"That's easily solved," Sparcalo said and without warning he grabbed me round the waste, slung me over his shoulder and started to walk out of the cave.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" I screamed, slapping at his back and pulling his ponytail. I saw Cyrus running after him, and then Kurda following behind, shaking his head despairingly.

"I object!" Cyrus yelled.

"Sparcalo come on, be fair," Kurda sighed. Sparcalo ignored both of them and carried on walking quickly back the way I'd come with Cyrus. I fought and struggled but he wouldn't let go so I decided that desperate times called for desperate measures. I counted to three, took a deep breath, then threw my head backwards and bit Sparcalo's ear as hard as possible.

"Ouch," he cried and dropped me. I ran back to Cyrus and stood behind him, using his body as a shield to protect me from the steaming Sparcalo. Cyrus and Kurda were grinning at each other as Sparcalo came marching up to them, spitting on his fingers and then rubbing his bleeding ear. I risked a quick peak around Cyrus and then waved and grinned. Sparcalo growled, chewing the inside of his mouth with rage.

"That thing is an abomination!" he hissed, pointing at me.

"That's a lovely long word for you to be using Sparky," I replied feeling quite invincible.

"Watch it," Cyrus warned, ruffling my hair as I came to stand beside him. Oric stuck his head out of the cave.

"Are you ok Sparcalo? Would you like me to kiss it better?" he asked, smiling wickedly.

"Don't you start Oric," Sparcalo spat.

"Oh I'm so scared!" Oric said sarcastically. He came and stood next to me and I felt extremely pleased with myself. I decided to be brave and took a step closer to Sparcalo.

"Sorry I hurt you," I said seriously and held out my hand for him to shake. He stared at it uncertainly and then nodded and shook it.

"Ok," he sighed and I could see how painfully damaging this was to his pride, "And I'm sorry I treated you like a sack of potatoes,"

"Apology accepted," I said smiling.

"Come on Kurda, she's got spirit, she might last," Oric said pleadingly. Kurda sighed.

"We'll vote," he said eventually, " All in favour of Ember coming with us, raise your hand,"

Cyrus, Oric and, amazingly Sparcalo raised their hands.

"I don't suppose I have any choice then," Kurda laughed and then put a hand on my shoulder.

"Lucky you," he said grimly.

"You make it sound like I've just sentenced myself to execution," I said.

"It'll be hard," he replied and then smiled, "But you'll be ok."

"No, no, no!" I sighed, "its 'You can own this Earth and still, all you'll own is earth until,' now try again,"

"This is stupid," Sparcalo grumbled.

"Only because you can't do it," I snapped.

"I _can_ and I _will_!" Sparcalo replied and stuck his tongue out at me. With that he took a deep breath in and started to sing Colours of the Wind at the top of his voice.

"That would have put Pocahontas herself to shame," I said sarcastically. "It was beautiful."

I ducked as Sparcalo swung at my head and then I ran at him and head butted his stomach.

"Charna's Guts!" he wheezed, clutching his stomach and gasping for breath.

"Don't be such a girl Sparcalo!" Cyrus said.

"Hey! There's nothing wrong with girls," I said, outraged, "You're a sexist, what's the difference between males and females anyway?"

"I would have thought that was obvious," Sparcalo laughed, having recovered.

"Well that problem can soon be sorted out," I growled threateningly.

"Ok, let's change the subject shall we?" Kurda said. "Everybody…"

"Ninety-nine bottles of blood on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of blood! Take one down, pass it around ninety-eight bottles of blood on the wall!" we all chorused.

A few hours later, when we were on minus-two-hundred-and-twenty-seven bottles of blood on the wall, I stopped walking and took the bag off of my back.

"Wait a minute guys," I called. I rummaged in the bag and pulled out another sweater.

"Oh Ember not another one," Oric said, shaking his head.

"I'm very cold," I muttered and pulled the sweater over my head.

"Well it's nearly dawn and there's a clump of trees over there, shall we call it a night?" Kurda asked. The others agreed so we settled down to get some sleep, I was grateful because we'd been walking all night and I was exhausted.

"Which route are the Vampaneze taking?" Cyrus asked when we were lying around a fire to keep warm.

"They're coming from all over, in small groups, that way they're less likely to be seen," Kurda replied.

"What's the Vampaneze?" I asked, the vampires had discussed the Vampaneze a lot and I hadn't a clue what they were talking about.

"Kurda," Sparcalo, Oric, and Cyrus said in unison.

"Ok… fine," Kurda sighed. "I suppose you'll have to know sooner or later,"

"Well go on then," I said impatiently.

"The Vampaneze are like Vampires in all but two ways. One of these ways is their appearance, their eyes are red and their skin is purple,"

"_Purple!"_ I gasped, not sure if I should believe him or not.

"Yes, but the thing that _you_ need to know about is their feeding habits," Kurda said looking uncomfortable. "As you know, vampires drink small amounts of blood and never harm the humans they feed from. The Vampaneze on the other hand…" he trailed off and looked at me.

"What?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"A Vampaneze will drain every drop of blood from a human body," Kurda told me quietly. "Every time,"

"Which is why it was a ludicrous idea to take you to Vampire Mountain. You won't be allowed into the halls with the rest of us, the other vampires would smurficate us. So the only other way of keeping you in Vampire Mountain would be to set you up in the secret tunnels, which will be full of Vampaneze because of The Plan," Sparcalo said, smiling in an I-told-you-so way. My mouth fell open and I could have wet myself.

"Don't worry," Cyrus said gently.

"Oh no I wasn't worried, why should I be worried? I mean I'm only going to be left with a load of monsters that will want to eat me!" I screeched.

"I'll talk to them," Kurda assured me.

"Yeah… thanks… that makes me feel so much safer," I said sarcastically. "Just one question, why the hell didn't you tell me this before?"

"I didn't want to put you off," Cyrus said quietly.

"You didn't want to put me off? Oh I'm not put off at all now, I'm just bloody petrified! What were you thinking? I mean, you might as well just slit my throat now…"

"Somebody shut her up!" Oric sighed.

"Pleasure," Sparcalo said. He took a deep breath in, turned to me and blew a cloud of gas into my face, that's the last thing I can remember before lying back and falling into uneasy unconsciousness.

I woke up the next night. I was slung over Sparcalo's shoulder as the group was walking. I opened my eyes and then closed them again, my head was pounding, and I felt like I was going to throw up.

"She's awake," I heard Oric say. I didn't open my eyes. Sparcalo stopped and started to put me down.

"Doesn't look very awake to me," Sparcalo said. I felt a hand on my face.

"Come one sunshine, I saw you peeking," Oric laughed. "You're awake alright,"

"No I'm not," I groaned. Sparcalo dropped me on the ground and carried on walking. "I was enjoying the ride," I moaned.

"Of course you were," Oric said, dropping my bag beside me as I walked past. I stared after him for a while and then stood up and ran at him, jumping on his back and wrapping my legs around his waste.

"Piggyback!" I cried in a babyish voice.

"You've got more chance of Hell freezing over kiddo," he muttered.

"Piggyback!" I repeated.

"Oh no!" Oric said, stopping.

"What?" I asked.

"Gravity is increasing on me!" he gasped and without warning he fell backwards on top of me.

"Help!" I screamed, "you're squashing me!"

"Am I?" Oric asked innocently.

"Only slightly!" I coughed and he stood up and brushed himself down. I got to my knees and pulled my fourth sweater from my bag. I put it on and then Oric and I hurried to catch up with the others.

I'd tried to forget about the Vampaneze, Kurda seemed the sort of person you could trust, and I did trust him, but that didn't stop me from being scared. The next night I'd decided I'd almost had enough, the cold was getting to me, although I was exhausted from walking all night I could barely sleep and it made me hungry but there was little food.

"How much further," I moaned, we'd been on the trail for weeks and weeks and weeks and things had started to look the same as always.

"We're nearly there," Cyrus said, putting a comforting arm around my shoulder. "Give it another week and you'll be warm and cosy,"

"Brilliant," I said, grinning. Even the Vampaneze had to be better than this horrible cold.

A few hours later we were walking along- what's new- when suddenly all of the vampires stopped suddenly. I walked straight into Kurda who looked at me and put a finger silently to his lips.

"What's going on?" I whispered. Kurda didn't reply but got down on his haunches and pulled me down after him, the others followed, staring around uneasily. Kurda signalled for the others to stay where they were and then he crawled towards a ditch a few metres away, pulling me by the wrist.

"What are you doing?" I hissed. He put a hand over my mouth and put his mouth to my ear.

"You can't be seen," he whispered. "There's someone following us, stay in the ditch until we come back for you."

"No way, how do I know you won't leave me," I growled.

"We won't, trust me," Kurda said. I sighed, deciding I'd have to trust him, and slowly I lowered myself into the ditch. Kurda smiled at me and threw me down a knife.

" No matter what happens don't move ok? Don't even breathe, we'll be back for you I promise, look after yourself."

"Yeah, see you later," I muttered, and then Kurda disappeared and I was left, sitting in a ditch, all by myself. I heard voices a few minutes later.

"Surprise!" someone called, it was a voice I didn't recognise.

"That's not funny Jack! We thought we were being attacked!" I heard Cyrus shout.

"Sorry, sorry, just stupid old Jack, thought you'd be pleased to see him, how wrong can a guy get?" the voice, belonging to whoever Jack was, said unhappily.

"Don't listen to him, he's just cranky because he hasn't had much sleep," Sparcalo laughed.

" Oh dear, let's walk and talk shall we?" Jack asked.

"Well it'll be getting light soon, I was going to find somewhere to crash," Kurda said.

"Nonsense, the night's still young, come on, best foot forward!" Jack said, he sounded drunk.

"Err… alright then," Kurda sighed.

"But Kurda…" Cyrus began.

"No, he's right, the nights still young, lets get going," Kurda interrupted. My heart started to beat faster as I heard the vampires walking. I wanted to climb out of the ditch and go after them, ask them what the hell they thought they were doing, but then I remembered Kurda's words, 'no matter what happens, don't move.' So I stayed put as the footsteps faded into the distance. A few minutes later someone jumped into the ditch and landed with a bump beside me.

"Thought I'd come and keep you company," Oric said, grinning.

"Won't that Jack person realise you're not there?" I asked, relieved that I wasn't on my own.

"Nah, he doesn't know who I am, anyway he's drunk so he'll probably think he imagined me," Oric said. "Kurda sent me to look after you, he was worried about leaving you. They'll be back as soon as they figure out how to ditch Jack."

"Thanks," I said and decided to see if I could get some sleep.

The next night I was woken by yelling. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, Sparcalo, Kurda, Cyrus, and Oric were all standing up, next to the ditch. I stood up and pulled myself out.

"It bit me!" Sparcalo was crying.

"I did warn you," Kurda laughed.

"Evening all," I yawned.

"Hey ya girl, sorry we took so long," Cyrus said, smiling and ruffling my hair, "Sparcalo's missed you like crazy."

"No I haven't!" Sparcalo exclaimed, "_You_ were the one who's been saying 'ooh it's so quiet without Ember, I hope she's all right, I hope she doesn't think I abandoned her, I hope…" Sparcalo was interrupted by Cyrus who lunged at him and knocked him to the ground.

"Come one children, play nicely!" Kurda sighed, he was holding a large, brown sack in one hand, and it was moving.

"What's in there?" I asked suspiciously, pointing at the sack.

"Jack gave it to me, it attacked him, he was going to eat it but he can't get it out of the sack, maybe you could have a go," Kurda replied. He handed the sack to me and I took it reluctantly, I didn't really want to open it, it sounded dangerous, but I also didn't want to look like a coward. I opened the sack up and held it at arms length in case whatever was inside jumped out at me. I carefully looked inside and then smiled, relieved.

"It's just a dog!" I laughed.

"It's an abomination," Sparcalo said, he had Cyrus pinned to the ground. "Just like someone else I know," he added, smiling sweetly at me. I stuck my tongue out at him and reached into the sack, the dog was very small, with smooth black and brown fur, it backed away from my hand as I reached for it and trembled as I stroked it. Gradually it started to relax and I felt confident enough to take it out of the sack. I held it close to my chest, it was warm, and it rubbed its head against my chin affectionately.

"Aww, I'm in love," I said, scratching the dog's ears.

"That's pathetic!" Sparcalo growled, standing up and snatching the dog away from me. "Look at it, I've seen more threatening things in my old Granny's sewing box!"

The dog barked and tried to snap at Sparcalo's hands, it was getting more and more wound up.

"Give him back," I said calmly.

"Want it can't have it, want it can't…" Sparcalo stopped mid-chant and stared down at the fresh wet patch on his shirt. Oric, Kurda, and Cyrus started to laugh and Sparcalo flushed scarlet. I grabbed the dog from him before he did him any damage and he snuggled close to me, I put my arms around him protectively.

"Can we keep it?" Oric asked Kurda.

"Why not? We've already got one stray another one won't do any harm," Kurda said.

"Oi! At least I don't look like a cats scratch post!" I yelled and threw a stick at Kurda's head.

We began to walk again and were a day away from the entry to the tunnels in the mountain by dawn. We stayed awake until the sun started to peep round the mountain. We talked for a long time and eventually conversation turned to Cyrus.

"Come on Cyrus, lets have your story, I haven't heard that one," Sparcalo said.

"Yeah, you've never told me about yourself," I said. Cyrus grimaced.

"There isn't really much to tell," he admitted. We all got comfortable, I made sure Dog was comfortable in my lap and then we waited for Cyrus to start his story.

"I was working late at the fish and chip shop at home," he began, " Kurda came in and we were talking while his chips were frying and I asked him were he got his three scars. God knows why but he told me the truth and I believed every word."

"I'd had a hard day and couldn't be bothered to come up with an excuse," Kurda explained. "I admired Cyrus' open-mindedness and told him about vampires, thinking that maybe he'd be good to have on my side."

"Yeah, and I thought the grass might be greener on the other side and here I am kind of humanity-less" Cyrus said, shrugging.

"So that's how I ended up with a whiney new blood-brother then?" Sparcalo grinned.

"Yeah," Kurda sighed, "But Cyrus I don't understand why you gave up Tessa and the baby to be a vampire, I've always meant to ask you."

"I didn't know Tessa was pregnant until after you blooded me," Cyrus said, looking suddenly miserable.

"I'm so sorry, I never knew," Kurda mumbled after a few moments of silence, " I feel so guilty."

"Did he blame you, Kurda? Did you see him point the finger? No!" Sparcalo said, "For God's sake lighten up and stop being so dramatic, you expect everyone to feel sorry for you!"

"Cyrus! You never told me you had a family," I said, feeling a little hurt.

"I didn't think it was important." Cyrus shrugged.

"Yeah and where's your story Shorty?" Sparcalo said, poking me.

"Hey watch it lamppost or I'll set my dog on you again!" I laughed.

"Come one Ember, what was your life like?" Oric asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," I snapped, suddenly putting my shields down.

"I don't blame you Ember," an unfamiliar voice said, it came from behind us and we all turned, Oric grabbed his pair of knives and held them above his head. Suddenly an old man stepped out of the fading darkness.

"Desmond Tiny," Kurda said, he sounded nervous.

"Who?" I asked.

"Ember Marvalo, I really don't blame you for not wanting to share your life with these vampires, killing your step-father is nothing to be proud of is it?" the old man said, grinning wickedly. I picked Dog up and held him close to me, standing to face the old man.

"How do you know my name? How do you know… me?" I growled.

"I know a lot of things," Desmond Tiny replied.

"Cut the crap Gramps and tell me who you are!" I snarled.

"Ember shut up," Kurda growled with uncharacteristic bluntness. I stared at him for a moment, unsure of why he was behaving so strangely and then spat at the ground.

"I'm surprised Kurda, I thought you'd be more careful with who you associated with, you know what's at stake," Desmond Tiny said.

"What do you mean?" Kurda asked. The old man tutted, shaking his head slowly.

"Now Kurda you know I can't tell you the future, but let me just say that this girl will be the death of you," he laughed and the sound sent shivers down my spine, but why?

"What are you talking about?" Cyrus asked quietly, you could cut the atmosphere with a knife.

"Why don't you tell them Ember? Why don't you tell them what an evil little girl you are? Murder before your fourteenth birthday, it's a big achievement," Desmond Tiny said, smiling.

"He's lying!" I yelled before anybody else could say anything. "It's not true!"

"That won't work either Ember, all of us here know I don't lie, isn't that right Kurda?" the old ma chuckled. Kurda didn't say anything, he was looking away from me.

"Is the guilt terrible Ember? Knowing that it's all your fault that your mother did what she did?" The old man asked softly.

"Shut up!" I screamed and suddenly the cupboards full of the hideous memories that I had kept locked away for so long just came flying out. I couldn't forget anymore, it wouldn't work, something was happening and the memories were so vivid, so real. I collapsed to my knees, sobbing, closing my eyes tightly, and trying to block everything out again.

"A word in private Kurda?" I heard Desmond Tiny ask.

"Yes," Kurda replied in a quiet voice and the two of them began to walk away out of sight. I felt an arm around my shoulders and I looked up at Cyrus who was staring at me with concern in his eyes.

"Are you ok?" he asked. I shook my head and threw my arms around him, hugging him tightly. Dog sat quietly between my feet, leaning against me, reassuring me that he was there for me.

"Was that Mr. Tiny?" Oric whispered. Cyrus nodded.

"He is one nasty piece of work," Sparcalo growled, "If I got my hands on him I'd rip him limb from limb!"

"Nothing was stopping you, Sparky" Oric pointed out innocently.

"Well… it wasn't the time or the place," Sparcalo said hesitantly. I laughed at that and pulled away from Cyrus.

"Who is he anyway?" I asked.

"Just an old meddler, an evil old git, and a seer of the future," Cyrus half-laughed.

"I've got to go," I said suddenly.

"What?" Oric and Cyrus asked in unison.

"You heard him, if he can see the future and he says I'll be the death of Kurda I have to go!" I explained.

"Don't be stupid!" Sparcalo said, "he just likes to interfere where it's none of his business."

"You all agree he doesn't lie!" I insisted, "It was my fault you've been lumbered with me anyway and I don't want anything bad to happen to any of you on account of me!"

"Is this really about that?" Cyrus said gently, "Or is this about the other thing Tiny said?" I kept silent. "We all do things we regret Ember, it's life, we have to learn from our mistakes."

"So you wouldn't hate me if I'd done something terrible?" I whispered, staring at the ground.

"No," Cyrus replied.

"Of course we wouldn't," Oric added.

"Bad things happen," Sparcalo said.

"Even if I'd… say… killed my mum and step-dad?" I sighed.

"Not even then, want to talk about it?" Oric said.

"Not really but I suppose I'd better," I replied. "I never knew my dad and my mum met a new guy when I was about seven years old. My brother and I never got on with him, he didn't want to be lumbered with somebody else's kids, he bullied us, used us as punch bags when mum went out on her weekend courses. She never noticed, she was far too loved up and we never told her, we had never seen her so happy before and we wanted her to stay like that. Two years went by and Ted, my step-dad, got worse and worse, and Christo and me hurt more and more. Then, one day, I was sent home from school early because I was sick. I was up in my room when I heard voices downstairs, I went down, and there was Ted, with this other woman. I was so angry, I'd put up with this man for two yeas to make my mum happy, and now I find out that he would eventually break her heart anyway. I went into the kitchen while this woman was in the toilet and took one of the knives from the side and then I went into the living room and stabbed him." I took a deep breath in and blinked the tears from my eyes. "I was just so angry I couldn't control myself, I couldn't stop it and suddenly Ted's body was on the floor and I was covered in blood. Realisation hit me and I was paralysed with fear, I just sat on the floor with the bloody knife in my lap and stared at the blood, paralysed with fear. This woman came In and she called the police and I can just remember her screaming and then I was screaming and common sense kicked in and suddenly I was running. I stayed on the streets, trying not to be caught, and just waited for people to forget about me."

"It wasn't your fault Ember, it was an accident," Cyrus said quietly.

"That's not the worse bit," I sighed, " I went home two months later to find that our house had been sold, Christo had been put into care and my mother had committed suicide."

"God!" Oric breathed.

"Yep," I gulped and there was a long, uneasy silence. Eventually Kurda came back looking pale and tired and as if he'd aged fifty years in the last half-hour, I noticed that he avoided looking at me.

"Kurda? You ok?" Sparcalo asked.

"Fine," Kurda said and we could all see that he was lying but we didn't press him further.


	2. goodbye life, goodbye happiness

The last day on our walk to Vampire Mountain was tense, very tense. Kurda wouldn't look me in the eye and none of us dared talk about the previous evening. We walked along, making idle small talk, the atmosphere was buzzing with uncertainty. Eventually I decided I couldn't take it anymore.

"Kurda, if you want me to go I'll turn around right now," I sighed.

"I don't know if I do or I don't," Kurda mumbled.

"Well if you do just say and I'll leave you."

"Ok," Kurda said quietly.

"Ok you want me to go?" I asked, my heart Pounding.

"Yes,"

"Kurda!" Cyrus cried, "What's got into you? What could Ember possibly do to harm us?"

"Yeah, she's like a flea, annoying but harmless," Sparcalo said. Was that a compliment?

"She's part of the group," Oric added.

"But it's Kurda's choice and we should respect it, it concerns him most," I interrupted.

"But you'll never get back alive on your own," Cyrus said.

"Probably not," I replied, shrugging, and then turned on my heel and walked away.

I'd stopped caring. I'd lost everything. I had nothing left. I just didn't think life was worth living anymore.

" Stop Ember," Kurda called. I spun round to face him. "Ignore me, I'm being stupid," he said, smiling.

"If you see me coming at you with a knife I give you permission to slap me," I said, grinning.

"Yeah, Ok," Kurda replied.

"Unless it's on a special occasion," I added.

"I don't know why I listened to Desmond Tiny anyway, what does he know, eh?" Kurda smiled.

"Well just to be on the safe side, give me your knife," I said, having a sudden thought. Kurda frowned, confused, but handed me the knife in his belt. I took it from him and made a small cut in my finger.

"I swear on my blood that I will never try to hurt you," I promised.

"Ember, I'd trust you with my life, you don't need to swear on…" Kurda started to say but I stuck my finger in his mouth. He spat and spluttered, trying to get it out. I pulled away from him and wiped my hand on my trousers.

"There," I said, grinning.

"You're crazy!" Kurda laughed and then put an arm around my shoulder, "That's good enough for me."

Cyrus, Sparcalo, and Oric all cheered and we started to walk again.

After a three-hour walk through a maze of tunnels we stopped outside a large cave.

"This is it," Kurda announced.

"This is what?" Oric asked.

"Where the Vampaneze are hiding," Kurda replied and I suddenly felt sick. I held Dog close to me and he licked my face reassuringly. I was about to get my first look at the Vampaneze and I was dreading it. Cyrus must have noticed how uncomfortable I was.

"Stop worrying, it'll be fine," he assured me, putting an arm around my shoulder and trying to comfort me. Kurda stepped into the cave and the rest of us waited outside like he'd told us to do. For a few minutes nothing happened and we were all tensely silent, then Kurda came out.

"I've had a word Ember," he said, "We'll be down to see you in a few hours after we've signed in."

"You're leaving me here?" I asked.

"We've got to go and get settled," Kurda told me.

"No!" I cried," …no! I… no!" I couldn't find words for it, I looked pleadingly at Cyrus.

"I thought you could look after yourself, don't be a baby," he said, grinning. I really didn't want to look like a coward to so I gathered my courage and took a few steps forward into the cave. I froze, at least twenty purple-skinned, red-eyed, animal like men were there, smoking, playing cards and scrapping with each other. I gulped, turned back to the vampires, and hissed " I can't do this," but then I realised that I was talking to thin air, they'd already left me. I sank to the ground and sat there silently for almost half an hour, stroking Dog absentmindedly. Without warning someone grabbed me by my sweater. I dropped Dog in shock and he stood there, barking and growling furiously. Whoever had grabbed me swung me round and slammed me against the wall. Suddenly there was a purple face very close up to mine.

"One, I want to know who you are," the Vampaneze hissed, his breath was disgusting, "Two, I want to know what you're doing here, and three, human, I want to know what your blood tastes like."

"My name's Ember," I gasped in fear, "I'm here with Cyrus Dubois and Kurda Smahlt, please don't kill me!"

"Why shouldn't I?" the Vampaneze asked, he put his hand on my face and quiet, terrified sobs shook my body.

"Because Kurda promised me you wouldn't" I whispered.

"Kurda shouldn't make promises he can't keep," the Vampaneze growled and ran his long, sharp nails down my face, leaving three deep cuts on my cheek. I closed my eyes and suddenly my fear was replaced by burning anger.

"You bully!" I growled through gritted teeth. And then, without warning, I gathered my courage, pretended the vampaneze was just Sparcalo on a bad day, and pushed my knee upwards as hard as I could. The vampaneze groaned and let go of me, I turned and thrust the palm of my hand up into his face, there was a pleasant crunch as it came into contact with his nose. The vampaneze swore and I ran past him into the cave, then, too late, I realised what I'd done. There was nowhere else to run and suddenly there were about fifteen vampaneze on top of me, pulling at me and crushing me. I could hear Dog barking in the background but all I could see was a heap of bodies trying to get at me.

"Let me go!" I screamed.

"Stop!" someone bellowed. The vampaneze let go of me and I lay on the ground, crying. Dog came up and licked my face, trying to comfort me.

"What gives!" someone yelled.

"Kurda's asked us to keep her safe," the vampaneze that had stopped the others shouted.

"And you listen to everything Kurda says?" someone else snorted, "Come on Glalda, please!"

"No!" the vampaneze snapped. The others started to walk away and return to what they had been doing, grumbling as they went. Someone grabbed my wrist and tried to pull me to my feet but I pulled my hand away and snarled something I'd better not repeat. I looked up into a young, pale, purple-tinted face, the eyes weren't yet red but were black with a ring of red around the outside.

"Sorry," the new vampaneze said quietly, " I just wondered if you were ok."

"Err… yeah… I'm fine… thanks," I said, uncertainly, standing up and feeling foolish. I wiped the blood from my cheek and the vampaneze looked at it and winced.

"Sorry about them," he mumbled.

"Hmm, being slammed against a wall, threatened, cut, petrified, almost drained of my life's blood and then almost torn to pieces," I said, counting on my fingers, "Somehow I don't think sorry quite covers it." Then I smiled to show I was ok.

"My name's Jasper, I like your dog," the vampaneze said, grinning.

"My name's Ember, thanks," I replied and scooped Dog up into my arms. Jasper reached forward and started stroking him and Dog closed his eyes as if enjoying it.

"He doesn't like vampires and vampaneze, he usually bites them, you must have a way with animals," I said.

"I was training to be a vet up until a few months ago," Jasper replied, "What's his name?"

" He doesn't have one," I answered. Jasper tutted and took Dog from me gently and held him up, staring at him.

"How about Cosmo?"

"What?"

"The dog's name," Jasper laughed.

"Oh, I was just going to call him Dog, but Cosmo's nice, it's one of my favourite names," I said quickly.

"You're beautiful," Jasper said quietly.

"Pardon?" I asked, shocked.

"Err… it's beautiful… the name Cosmo… really nice… I've gotta go," Jasper burbled, handed the dog back to me and then hurried away, blushing. I just stood there for a few minutes, completely forgetting where I was, just watching as Jasper sat down with a small group of vampaneze who were just sitting around talking. He was so… sweet, he only looked about seventeen and he was… nice. Suddenly he was extinguished from my thoughts as someone grabbed me by my hair. I spun round and found myself face to face with a deep purple-faced, raging red-eyed, bloody-nosed animal! I screamed and the realised who it was.

"Oh, it's you again," I growled, my confidence having risen dramatically.

"You brat! You broke my nose!" the Vampaneze spat.

"Yeah, about that, It's too bad you don't have another one really, I'd pay you back but I really need mine," I said, smiling innocently.

"I'm going to kill you and.."

"You can't touch me," I interrupted, "Didn't you hear that Glalda person?"

"Just watch it," the Vampaneze warned.

"Will do," I assured him.

I had absolutely nothing in common with any of the Vampaneze but by the time Kurda, Cyrus, Sparcalo and Oric arrived in the cave four or five hours after they had left me there, I had made quite a few friends. We all sat around a small fire, just talking. Kurda stood up, smiling and put a finger to his lips for silence.

"Yes we all know you wear gloss on your lips Kurda, there's no need to point it out," a Vampaneze called Harlan shouted. There were cheers and roars of laughter and Kurda had to clap his hands to try and get everyone to settle down.

"Thanks Harlan, very helpful," he said sarcastically, "and it's not lip-gloss it's chap-stick." There were a few sniggers. "I come bearing gifts," Kurda said and everyone shut up. There were a few minutes of silence.

"Come on Kurda! Spill the beans!" Glalda said.

"Ok ok, anyone for sausages?" Kurda said and there roars and cheers from the vampaneze.

"Thank God!" I cried, I'd been living off of deer meat for the last few months. A few minutes later we were all tucking into the most delicious sausages I'd ever eaten.

"Come on Jasper, dig in," I said, feeling happier then I had in ages as I gave the vampaneze sitting next to me a dig in the ribs.

"I don't like sausages," he muttered.

"What's not to like?" I asked.

"I'm a vegetarian," he mumbled.

"Ha ha very funny!" I said sarcastically. " Come on!"

"He's not joking," the Vampaneze on the other side of me said. His name was Onyx and he was the one who had blooded Jasper.

"Oh…" I said quietly, "Sorry… but how can you be a vegetarian Vampaneze?"

"We have to bottle the blood up for him and pretend it's wine or juice, either that or we force feed it to him, it's ridiculous," Onyx grumbled.

"Yeah, it is a little ridiculous," I admitted. Jasper gave me a filthy look and stood up.

"This wasn't my choice," he snapped and then walked away looking hurt. I watched him as he went and sat in the far corner with his face against the wall, hugging his knees.

"Oops," I said, feeling ashamed of myself.

"Don't worry, he's far too sensitive," Onyx said, "He was a mistake," I felt terrible. I sat and watched the fire, the flames seemed to be so alive and they distracted me from my thoughts. I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned round to see Cyrus standing there, smiling at me.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah I'm fine, I think I upset Jasper," I sighed.

"I _know _you upset Jasper," Cyrus said, "You need to think sometimes before opening that big mouth of yours, Jasper's had a hard time of it."

"I know, I want to make it up to him, I just don't know how," I said, feeling my cheeks go red.

"Well, these should at least start you off," Cyrus said and handed me a plastic bag. I looked inside, it was full of chocolates, the one's that I had bought Cyrus after he took me in.

"You had those all along and you never even offered me one!" I screeched, outraged.

"I was saving them for a special occasion," Cyrus replied and ruffled my hair.

"Get lost!" I growled and snapped at his hands.

"Down doggie," Cyrus commanded, "By the way where is that flea bitten mutt?"

"Cosmo? I don't know, I haven't seen him," I replied.

"Cosmo? Since when was it called Cosmo?" Cyrus asked, frowning.

"Since Jasper said I should give him a name," I replied and looked over at Jasper to find that Cosmo was lying beside him, rubbing his head against his knees.

"Traitor," I muttered.

"Ooh, do I detect a hint of jealousy?" Cyrus asked, innocently.

"Not at all," I replied quickly.

"And pigs fly!" Cyrus said grinning and then started to walk away.

"They do if you lob them hard enough!" I replied and threw a sausage at the back of Cyrus' head. He spun round and made a rude hand gesture at me, and then went to sit next to Oric who was beating five desperate Vampaneze at a game of poker.

Kurda came up to me a few minutes later.

"You ok?" he asked, echoing Cyrus' question to me.

"Yeah I'm ok," I said, smiling weakly.

"I brought you something, you don't have to drink it if you don't want to," Kurda said and handed me a small mug. It was half full with a red liquid that I could not mistake for cranberry juice a second time. I looked at the blood in the mug for a moment and then made up my mind, put it to my lips, and downed the mug in one gulp. This sounds disgusting but to be quite honest it didn't taste all that bad. I looked up at Kurda who was smiling at me.

"You're a braver person than me, it was five months after I was blooded that I managed to drink it properly for the first time," he said.

"I'll be drinking it regularly someday, I'd better get some practise in now," I replied.

"Snap," Kurda said, tapping the three cuts on my cheek that the Vampaneze had made earlier. He then pointed to the identical scars on his cheek and we both laughed.

"They didn't hurt," I said, shrugging.

"Mine killed," Kurda admitted.

"They may have hurt a little, just like paper cuts," I laughed.

"Ouch, don't even get me started on paper cuts," Kurda said, wincing as though the very thought was too horrible for him.

I reluctantly stood up and went to where Jasper was sitting, staring blankly at the wall.

"I'm sorry ok?" I said quietly. Jasper ignored me, just kept staring at the wall, but if he thought he could get rid of me that easily he was mistaken. I sat down beside him and stared at him the same way he was staring at the wall, I reached down and stroked Cosmo absentmindedly and we stayed like that, silently staring for almost an hour. It was Onyx who eventually broke the silent staring. He came up and put his hands on his hips, glaring at Jasper.

"Stop sulking Squirt, we get it, you don't want to be here, now stop acting like a prat!" he snapped irritably at Jasper.

"Jasper looked at him, hatred in his eyes and said a single, four letter word adding a 'you' afterwards.

"Fine then, be like that, don't bother with him Ember," Onyx said and walked away. I ignored Onyx and kept staring at Jasper who seemed to be shocked with what he'd said.

"There's only one cure for the blues," I said quietly and dropped the bag of chocolates into Jasper's lap. Jasper didn't say anything for a moment, just looked at the bag, then he smiled up at me.

"You angel," he said. I shuffled closer to him, picking Cosmo up and holding him against my chest.

"I'm sorry Jasper, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," I sighed.

"I know, I'm sorry for reacting like that," Jasper replied. He took a chocolate out of the bag and popped it into his mouth, grimacing at the taste and then resting his head against the wall.

"I've got something you might be interested in," he said, his eyes suddenly lighting up.

"What?" I asked, suspiciously. Jasper didn't reply but pulled a small silver rectangle out of his pocket. There was a small screen on the front and a pair of headphones stuck into the side. I gasped, I hadn't seen anything so brilliant in months.

"An Mp3 player!" I said in awe. Jasper laughed.

"I don't know if you listen to what I listen to but I know I certainly can't live without my music without going mad!" Jasper said. "And don't worry, I've got plenty of batteries."

"Anything is better than nothing," I said, "What do you listen to?"

"From Kinetic To Gold," Jasper said smiling.

"They rock, have you heard Topless Gypsies?"

"They are my Gods!" Jasper replied.

"What about the one, the only, the rodents of the century…"

"Squirrels Revenge!" we both said in unison. Jasper handed me one of the earphones and we sat and listened to the music, it was just what I needed.

"What on Earth are you two doing?" Glalda snapped a few hours later.

"What?" we both yelled.

"What are you doing?" Glalda repeated.

"What?" we asked again and pulled the earphones out so we could hear.

"What are you doing?" Glalda repeated for the third time.

"Oh, we're listening to Squirrels Revenge," Jasper said.

"Excuse me?" Glalda said, shocked.

"Squirrels revenge," I said and Jasper and I both broke out into song, banging our heads up and down and throwing our arms around like we were playing a fast drum beat. Glalda gave us a strange look and walked away quickly. That's when I spotted Harlan and a Vampaneze named Craig with a box of cigarettes and a lighter in the corner.

"I have died and gone to heaven!" I said, standing up. Jasper frowned at me and tried to follow my gaze. I ran up to Harlan and smiled my sweetest smile.

"You haven't got a spare have you?" I asked, nodding my head at the box in his hand.

" Yes, but you're not having one," Harlan laughed.

"Please Harlan, do me a favour!" I begged, my sweet smile vanishing as suddenly as I had managed to conjure it.

"No," Harlan replied.

"But I need one!" I gasped.

"Don't be stupid, you don't need one and anyway it's illegal, you're not old enough," Harlan said matter-of-factly. He was the most irritating person I had ever met. I went on at him for a long time and finally gave up after fifteen minutes of constantly repeating the word 'please' and getting just as constant a 'no'.

Three days later Kurda came down to see me by himself, our relationship had become better, I think we were both determined to show Desmond Tiny exactly what we thought of his stupid prediction.

"How was your day?" I asked.

"Busy," he replied, " Everyone's started to arrive for council and if I got a pound for every vampire who has made some smart comment about me trying to be a prince I'd be a very, very rich man."

"Why? What the hell is wrong with you being a prince? You'll make a good prince," I said. The vote was in three days time and Kurda seriously doubted that enough vampires would vote for him to become prince. His idea's, he told me, were too new, too different, he was too young and had too much of an open mind.

"What do you mean you're too young?" I had asked, "You're one hundred and twenty years old for Christ's sake!"

"One hundred and twenty four and considering that most of the other vampire generals, let alone princes, are at least a hundred years older than me I don't think I have much of a chance. "

Now Kurda had heard exactly what people thought of him and he said he hadn't a hope in hell of being prince.

"That's my plans down the toilet!" he sighed.

"Why?" I asked, confused, he'd tried to explain the plan to me and I sort of understood but it was very complicated and I didn't understand vampire law as it was.

"If I'm not prince I can't get into the Hall of Princes, I can't use the Stone of Blood and this would all have been for nothing," Kurda replied.

"And what happens if it doesn't work?" I asked.

" Well, we'd have to get the vampaneze out of here as fast as possible, if the others ever find out about them it would be horrible," Kurda replied.

"What would happen to you if the vampires found the vampaneze here?" I said.

"I don't like to think about it," Kurda said, looking away from me.

"Would they kill you?" I asked, I could feel how uneasy Kurda suddenly was but I had to press him further if I wanted to know.

"Kill me?" he asked quietly, "They'd butcher me alive, traitors aren't much welcome In the vampire community."

"But you're doing this to save them in the first place aren't you?" I said, frowning.

"Yes, of course I am, but they wouldn't see it like that," Kurda said smiling, and then he ruffled my hair and winked at me. "But lets talk about something more cheerful yeah?"

"Jasper's nice," I commented, it was the first thing that came into my head and I could have kicked myself.

"Oh really? Nice as in nice or nice as in nice nice?" Kurda asked, grinning wickedly and nudging me.

"Just nice," I said quickly.

"So you like him?" Kurda asked.

"Yes," I replied honestly.

"Ooh, wait until I tell the others, you won't live this down," Kurda said, he seemed to be feeding on the gossip.

"You know what I meant Kurda! Please don't tell them!" I begged, blushing furiously.

"Why shouldn't I?" Kurda asked slyly.

"Because… because I'll tell them about your pink pants!" I said, I'd planned to save that one for an emergency but this was pretty bad.

"How do you know… that's a lie," Kurda insisted.

"Not according to Harlan it isn't," I said, smiling smugly.

"I'll kill him! Kurda muttered and then looked at me pleadingly, "You won't tell them will you, I was only joking."

"So was I," I laughed and the he laughed and we hugged each other tightly.

I stayed in the tunnels, getting to know all the Vampaneze and making friends with all of them, even Gilligan, the Vampaneze whose nose I had broken on my first day there. Kurda, amazingly, got 54 of the votes and was already getting nervous about his investiture, the ceremony that was held to make him a prince, which was in a few weeks time.

"Just don't talk about it," he had said, we were celebrating his success, and he was complaining he felt nauseous.

"Come on Kurda, stage one of the plan is completed, there's only a hundred things that can go wrong now instead of a hundred and one," Oric said smiling. Kurda turned green and we all cheered and chanted 'chuck, chuck, chuck!' When I had first met Oric he was shy and kept himself to himself, now he had settled in and was more comfortable he was showing his true colours. I now realised that he was fun loving, kind, a great listener, and a good solver of problems. He was always cheerful, always tried to look on the bright side and a smile was never far from his lips. The only problem was that he was a wind up merchant, he knew just about every trick in the book, he seemed to have invented most of them! Sparcalo, I'd learned, was one of the best fighters of all time, in my eyes anyway. He'd taught Oric how to use knives properly, for throwing, stabbing, slicing, I never knew that there were so many different ways to kill someone with just a blade. Jasper and I had already run down seven batteries on his MP3 player but he had plenty more and I had managed to steal several cigarettes from Harlan who hadn't noticed a thing so I was content.

"Are there really a hundred things that could go wrong?" I asked, feeling light headed after drinking a few mugs of foul tasting ale that the vampires had managed to sneak down to us.

"Of course not, the plan is practically fool proof!" Sparcalo insisted.

"There's not really much chance of failure," Cyrus added. I relaxed after that, I'd been a little worried since my talk with Kurda but I knew that he was just worried, I know I would have been if I'd had to do what he was about to do. And of course, just as things started to go right for me for once, just as it seemed impossible for anything to cast a black cloud over my life, that's when Darren Shan appeared and everything went unbelievably wrong.

I want to stop there, I don't want to remember the rest. I'd do anything to get my friends back, I'd sell my soul to the devil just to spend one more day with them. I was sure that food had lost its taste now, that sleep made me even more tired. Every time I closed my eyes I saw that horrific scene flashing through my mind, but it wasn't the moment it had ended, it was the moment that the troubles had began. Kurda had come into the tunnels, absolutely fuming. Sparcalo, Oric and Cyrus followed silently behind, unusually tense. Kurda stood against one of the walls and bashed his fist against it hard.

"What's going on?" I asked, instantly alert to the fact that something was up.

"Darren's failed his trials," Kurda growled.

"Darren Shan? What do you mean he's failed?" I asked, I'd obviously never met Darren before but the way Kurda raved about him I knew he must have been a nice guy. I almost considered him a kind of distant, almost imaginary friend, it was strange, I longed to meet him though I knew it was an impossibility.

"He failed the trials," Kurda repeated.

"How could he fail? I thought you said you were looking after him!" I cried.

"I tried to, one of his friends ran into the stadium to stop a wild boar from killing him!" Kurda sighed.

"He's not dead?" I gasped, relieved, "That's a good thing isn't it?"

"No, you don't understand!" Kurda spat, clenching and unclenching his fists. I'd never seen him like this before, he never behaved like this, he was always so laid back.

"If you fail the trials you aren't permitted to live, you're put to death," Cyrus said quietly.

"It wasn't even his fault!" Kurda screamed, pounding the wall again. Several of the Vampaneze were staring at us curiously but they knew that it wasn't their place to interfere when we were talking. Jasper came over to see if we were ok but I told him gently that it didn't concern him and he walked away, slightly peeved.

"They're going to kill him?" I gasped.

"Yes, they're going to kill him," Kurda growled and then spat on the floor.

"You can't let them surely," I said.

"We can't really do anything about it Trouble," Cyrus said. I frowned and thought it over for a few minutes.

"Of course you can do something about it," I insisted, "Just get him away from here!"

"That's not possible, we'd be spotted," Sparcalo said.

"Not if you take some of the tunnels down here, surely you know some secret passages Kurda?" I said.

"It would bring him too close to here, what if he saw the vampaneze?" Sparcalo said.

" Oh and you'd all rather let him die unjustly, alone and terrified because you don't have the guts to take a few risks!" I snapped.

"She's right for once, if it was anybody else I wouldn't give a damn but this is Darren, come on Kurda," Oric said.

"It hasn't got anything to do with us, it's Larten Crepsley who's his sire, Larten Crepsley is responsible for him," Kurda said but I could see in his eyes that he was slowly losing the battle.

"But you're his friend Kurda, and say it was Ember in that position would you really be able to think straight and put your pride behind you," Oric reasoned, "You can't stand there and tell me that Larten wants Darren to die."

"Ok!" Kurda yelled, "Ok." He sighed.

"You three check the situation with the princes, see what the verdict is and keep them away from Darren's room for a as long as possible while I try and get him down here. I'm not even sure he'll come with me, he has many of Larten's characteristics including his ever stubborn pride!"

"What do I do?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" Kurda said.

"I want to help," I replied.

"Is it 'let's all say stupid things' day today or something?" Kurda asked, "You just stay here and do what you usually do, just keep quiet and trust your heels if anything happens."

"Yes, sir," I said sarcastically, bowing, but then I straightened up, "Good luck," I said and Kurda, Cyrus, Oric and Sparcalo left.

That was the biggest mistake of my life, it tortured me twenty-four seven. I f only I hadn't convinced Kurda to get Darren out of the mountain everything would have been fine. A few hours after Kurda had left I was sitting playing snap with Jasper.

"Snap!" I yelled, "Come on Jasper, you're usually great at this, what's wrong with you?"

"I've got a bad feeling," Jasper said and then blushed, realising how stupid it sounded.

"You sure it's not just wind?" I asked and we both laughed. Suddenly Jasper sat bolt upright and his head snapped to the entrance of the cave.

"What's wrong now?" I sighed impatiently.

"I thought I saw something," he said quietly, squinting his eyes as he stared at the entrance.

"What's wrong?" Onyx asked, coming up behind us.

"Jasper reckons he saw something," I said, rolling my eyes.

"He hasn't had much sleep, he's been too busy listening to that noise you call music with you," Onyx said, smiling in an I-told-you-so way at Jasper who stuck his tongue out at him.

"It rocks," I insisted, "Don't disrespect the music!"

"Ok, whatever, do you want to come for a walk?" Onyx asked.

"No thanks," Jasper and I said in unison.

"Fine," Onyx sighed.

Ten minutes later there was a big problem just outside the cave, someone was yelling, raising an alarm to the rest of us, we'd been found! Jasper and I looked at each other, yanked the headphones out of our ears, and stood up.

"You keep out of sight, if there are vampires out there the last thing I want is for them to find you!" Jasper said to me hurriedly.

"Are you out of your mind? I'm not leaving you on your own! Imagine the trouble you could get yourself into!" I exclaimed.

"Not now Ember, come on, stick to the shadows," Jasper pleaded.

"Ok, but if you get yourself killed I'll be so angry, I'll never speak to you again!" I warned and then dashed off to the back of the cave to watch what was happening. I couldn't see who the attack was coming from but there were a lot of Vampaneze pushing to get a go at whoever it was. Jasper hung back slightly, glancing over at me occasionally. The fighting was over quickly and the crowd of Vampaneze parted. I could see Kurda standing at the entrance to the cave, his hair dishevelled, and his face paler than usual, there was the body of an unfamiliar vampire on the ground next to him.

"I thought for a minute you were coming to his aid," Glalda said, gesturing to the body on the ground.

"No," Kurda sighed, he sounded so sad, "I'd have knocked him out and bundled him away if possible, but others could have tracked down his mental signals. There's a boy up ahead, a half-vampire, he's injured so he won't be hard to catch, I want him taken alive, they won't be able to track him."

I gulped, that same boy was standing behind Kurda, his mouth open in shock. He looked about thirteen years old, bald, with dark eyes that were too old for the rest of him, and I knew that this must be Darren Shan.

"Do you mean the boy behind you?" Glalda said quietly.

"Darren!" Kurda gasped, "How long have you been there, how much have you…"

Kurda was interrupted as Darren rushed past him to kneel beside the groaning body on the ground. He started to talk quietly to the vampire, whispering comforts, knowing he had little time left. I watched Kurda twitch nervously, he was about to either burst into tears or curl up and try to die, and when Kurda was like that only Sparcalo could snap him out of it. Where was Sparcalo? Or even Cyrus or Oric? Darren Shan clutched at the body of the dead vampire and cried like a baby, the sound was horrible, like a dog in pain and I don't think anybody in that cave didn't feel some of the boys misery.

"You killed him," Darren finally hissed at Kurda. Kurda was very pale, his body was trembling and I wanted to rush to him and hug him so badly, he needed some comforting.

"I had to," he croaked, "There was no time to let him die a noble death… you might have got away if I'd left him for the vampaneze."

"You knew they were here all along," Darren said.

"Well done Sherlock," I muttered under my breath. That's when Darren Shan spat the word that almost made me leap at him and wrench his guts out of his stomach.

"You're a traitor!" Darren said harshly. How dare he!

"This looks terrible but it's not what you think, I'm trying to save our race not condemn it!" Kurda said desperately. "There are things you don't know about, things no vampire knows about. Gavner's death is regrettable, but when I explain prop…"

"To hell with your explanations!" Darren Shan screamed. "You're a traitor and a murderer, scum of the highest order!"

I leapt forward, ready to knock the little brat's teeth down his throat but I was pulled back by a pair of hands, Jasper was standing beside me. I tried to yell the worst word I could think of at Shan but Jasper put his hand over my mouth and didn't remove it, not even when I spat at it and tried to bite it. I watched as Shan picked up one of the dead vampire's knives and waved it at Kurda like a lunatic. Jasper let go of me and followed the other Vampaneze as they all held up weapons and stepped towards Darren.

"No!" Kurda shouted, stopping them, " I want him taken alive!"

"He has a knife," Glalda said, he seemed amused by the whole thing. "Do you want us to let him chop our fingers off while we try and prise it away from him?"

"Don't worry Glalda, I'm in control of the situation," Kurda said, breathing deeply. I laughed at that, in control my arse!

"Stop it!" Darren Shan yelled, "Don't come any closer!"

"I'm unarmed," Kurda said, I could sense a little hurt in his voice and I wanted to stand by him and let him know that I was there.

"I don't care, I'll kill you anyway, you deserve it!" Darren Shan snarled.

"You just try it mate, I'll cut you into little pieces and feed you to my dog!" I growled.

"I don't think that you would kill an unarmed man, no matter what he'd done. If I'm wrong, I'll pay for my error of judgement in the severest way possible, but I don't think I am," Kurda said gently, appearing calm and under control but I knew different. Darren Shan drew back the knife in his hand and I tensed, ready to leap, I wanted to be the first one to get to him so I could listen to his heart stop. But Darren Shan hesitated and then lowered the knife, he couldn't do it, he was too chicken.

"I hate you!" he cried and then threw the knife, Kurda ducked instinctively but Darren hadn't meant to hit him. I watched as the boy turned and ran. Most of the Vampaneze followed after him, this was turning out to be a disaster!

Kurda stood by the entrance to the cave, staring at the ground. I came up behind him and reached up to put an arm around his shoulder but he shrugged me off.

"Darren's right, I am a traitor, a murderer, I don't deserve to live," Kurda muttered.

"Kurda, you're a fantastic person with a kind heart and a gentle nature, you're trying to do what's right, you shouldn't hate yourself for that," I replied.

"But I killed Gavner," Kurda said, turning away but gesturing to the dead Vampire on the ground.

"One stupid vampire Kurda, you're trying to save hundreds," I reasoned.

"He was my friend, so was Darren," Kurda said, "I have to explain things to him, set it right."

"What happened?" I asked quietly.

"Gavner caught us, after some persuading he agreed to help me get Darren out but he wanted to use these tunnels and they found the Vampaneze here, I had to try and make it look like I knew nothing about it," Kurda said, he brushed a tear off of his cheek, "I kept telling him to go, I told him again and again but he wouldn't go! I had to kill him, it was the only way!" Kurda sobbed. I patted his back uncomfortably, not sure what to do or say.

"Where's Sparcalo, Cyrus and Oric?" I asked gently.

"They were trying to create a diversion, they don't know what's happened," Kurda replied. Jasper, who had stayed behind in the cave, came up behind us.

"Where's Onyx, I didn't see him with the others earlier," he said, he sounded worried.

"He was out for a walk wasn't he?" I said.

Kurda gulped. "I'm sorry Jasper, he's… he's just outside the cave, a few metres up the tunnel."

"What?" I asked but Jasper had already started running out of the cave entrance. I followed him quietly, fearing the worst. Sure enough, Jasper stopped still as he came to the blood-drenched body of a fallen vampaneze. Jasper sunk silently to his knees, his mouth open in shock.

"Onyx?" he whispered. The vampaneze's throat had been cut and his stomach sliced open. Jasper and I both turned and vomited repeatedly. When Jasper had recovered slightly his retches were replaced by sobs, they shook his whole body. He laid his head on Onyx' body, his hair instantly becoming soaked with blood and his face smeared with the stuff but he didn't care, he just cried.

"I thought you didn't like him," I said, stupidly, I needed something to say to fill the awkward moment.

"He was my friend, he looked after me and I was so ungrateful, he never even knew I really appreciated him!" Jasper cried. We stayed there for a long time, Jasper just crying, just staring into Onyx' dead eyes, as if trying to find something there. Cosmo came up to Jasper and me and then climbed up into his lap and curled up there like a cat, gazing sadly at Jasper who didn't even notice him there.

Kurda was screaming, just screaming. He had been yelling and shouting and swearing for a long time and now he was screaming. Darren had died, he'd thrown himself into a river and been swept away by the fast flowing currant.

"He wouldn't even touch me, he could have saved himself if he'd taken my hand but he wouldn't touch me!" Kurda said. We were in one of the caves adjoining the main one, I'd got everyone else to leave so I could try and do something about Kurda who was hysterical. I'd almost had enough of him now, yes, he was upset, but he was starting to act pathetic.

"Kurda, if he would rather have drowned himself than listened to your side of the story there was nothing you could do about it, he was a nasty piece if work anyway, even I could see that!" I said, impatiently.

"Shut up!" Kurda yelled at me, "You never knew him, he was kind and he was decent and I killed him!"

I turned round and slapped Kurda as hard as I could around the face, he fell silent and stared at me in shock.

"You shut up Kurda! I've had to put up with you talking about this guy for a long time and I've dealt with it but as far as I've heard he's never done anything for you. You try and save his life and he repays you by calling you scum!" I shouted at him, "I've been a good friend to you, I've had to put up with you and your mood swings, your sob stories and I bet you'd rather it was me dead, I bet you'd wish it was me that drowned because then you could have your precious Darren, but I don't really give a damn!"

Kurda didn't say anything, for a while he was silent.

"I didn't say that," he murmured eventually.

"I'll leave you to grieve you sad, pathetic little wreck" I snarled and turned to walk away.

"I'm sorry," Kurda whispered, "For everything." And then he pulled me towards him and hugged me tightly, crying into my shoulder.

Kurda's investiture was in a week's time, which was when the plan would kick into action, until then we waited. Kurda was supposed to make sure that he had everything sorted but he was too wrapped up in the search for Darren Shan, or at least his body.

"I need to make sure that he really is dead, if he somehow made it and goes to the princes… like I said before I'd be a dead man, Cyrus as well," Kurda said. Oric and Sparcalo had been going with Kurda every day to try and find some sign of Darren Shan. They followed the course of the river down but they found nothing. I spent this time with Cyrus and Jasper who hadn't spoken much since Onyx had died.

"He was proud of you, he told me," Cyrus said to Jasper one day.

"Yeah?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah, really, he said that your heart was true and you did what you thought was right even if it was by following more modern ways, but that's why we're all here." Cyrus said gently.

"That's why he died," Jasper added.

"Cyrus, this might not be the best time…" I began feebly.

"What is it?" Cyrus asked, he could sense something was wrong.

"I've been thinking, a lot, and I think I know what I want to do with my life," I said uncertainly.

"Which is?" Cyrus pressed.

"I want to be a vampire and help you and Kurda and the others, if you'll let me," I replied. Cyrus' face split into a large grin.

"That's great Ember, that's really great," he said.

"I'm ready now," I added.

"You want me to blood you right here and now?" Cyrus asked.

"Yes, sticking with you might not be the easiest or most convenient life but it's exciting, it's adventurous and you're my friends, you're the only people in my life and I don't know what I'd do without you," I sighed.

"You're very good at making these long, mushy speeches aren't you?" Cyrus said, raising an eyebrow at me. I flashed him a grin and he flashed one back and then rolled up his sleeves.

"You're absolutely sure? There's no going back." Cyrus warned.

"I know, I'm ready now," I assured him but my stomach was churning uncomfortably. I held my palms out reluctantly to Cyrus and he looked at them for a moment.

"I'm not sure I'm going to be able to," Cyrus said uneasily.

"Why?" I asked, I was nervous enough as it was.

"I don't want to hurt you," Cyrus said weakly.

"For God's sake Cyrus_, I'll_ hurt _you _if you don't get on with it!" I snapped.

"That'll do it," Cyrus laughed and in one quick movement he placed his fingernails on my fingers and cut them. I swore loudly and went to pull away but Cyrus grabbed my wrists. He then cut his own fingers and pressed his palms hard against mine. I stood still, my vision blurring, feeling dizzy and unstable. I knew that if I was bleeding for much longer then I would pass out and I'd already swallowed some vomit that had come up into my mouth. For what seemed like an eternity we stood there, palms pressed together, my whole body was pulsing like your heart pulses when you hold your breath underwater for a long time. Finally Cyrus pulled away and I collapsed backwards and blacked out.


	3. Shan the man, the man I'm going to kill!

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, being a half-vampire felt weird, but I never missed my old life. I thought that maybe being a vampire would make me feel empty but I'd never felt so alive. I zipped around the cave for a few days, testing my new speed, strength, and abilities.

"Don't forget where we are and what's happening," Sparcalo warned me, it was two days before Kurda's investiture, they had given up their search for Darren Shan, but they were still on edge, especially Kurda.

"I know, I know," I said, "I'll be as good as gold on the day."

"You know you're not coming don't you?" Sparcalo asked.

"What do you mean I'm not coming? I wouldn't miss this for the world!" I exclaimed.

"You might not be human anymore but you're still just a little girl, if you were spotted by the other vampires there'd be hell to pay." Sparcalo said.

"I don't honestly care, I'm coming whether you lot like it or not," I assured him.

"You're not," Sparcalo said firmly.

"Kurda! Can I come to your investiture!" I called.

"Yeah of course," Kurda called back, he was still mourning Darren Shan's death, but he had brightened a little. He was unbelievably nervous about the investiture and had bitten his nails right the way down but apart from that he was the same old Kurda.

"How the hell are you going to do that Kurda? If she goes strolling around up there the other vampires are bound to ask questions," Sparcalo said.

"We'll sneak her in and hide her under a table or something," Kurda replied, he smiled at me, "I want all of the gang there."

"Yes!" I exclaimed and wrapped my arms around a furious looking Sparcalo's neck. "Dance with me Sparky!" Sparcalo pulled away from me looking disgusted so I picked Cosmo up off of the ground and danced with him instead, doing a funny little waltz around the cave.

"You gonna join in Jasper?" I asked, passing the depressed looking Vampaneze on my way round.

"No thanks," Jasper grumbled.

"You can't sit there moping for the rest of your life," I sighed, stopping.

"I just don't feel like doing anything," Jasper said quietly.

"You miserable git!" I growled, " Ok, Onyx is dead, but he wouldn't want you sitting around doing nothing, being a useless lump."

"Ember!" Kurda snapped, coming towards me. "I can't believe you're being so insensitive! I'm disappointed in you!"

"I'm not doing anything!" I complained.

"Yes you are, you're being really harsh, don't you have any heart at all?" Kurda asked.

"Yes, but Jasper's being stupid, he's letting himself get caught up with grief and misery, he's choking, he just needs a push to snap him out of it," I whispered.

"I'll leave you to it, but I warn you it'll all end in tears," Kurda whispered back and then walked away. I sat down beside Jasper, put Cosmo on the floor and gave him a little push as a way of saying 'go away'.

"Leave me alone Ember," Jasper said.

"No, I'm your friend, I'm trying to help you," I replied.

"I know, but I don't know what to do," Jasper cried.

"You have to cheer up Jasper, Onyx is dead but you have to get on with your life, look to the future. I can't stand to see you like this," I murmured. Jasper looked at me, and smiled weakly.

"I know," he said, "Thank you."

It was the day before Kurda's investiture, everyone was tense.

"I don't think I've ever been so excited in my whole life!" Oric whispered to me. We were sitting on the floor throwing a small stick for Cosmo who was enjoying the attention.

"So you're not nervous?" I whispered back.

"Of course I am, I've never been so scared and I don't know whether to laugh or cry!" Oric hissed.

"You'll be fine, what could possibly go wrong?" I asked.

"I suppose I'm just worrying about nothing really," Oric whispered.

"Of course you are," I said, "Err… Oric, why are we whispering?"

"I don't know," Oric hissed and we bot started to laugh.

"No but honestly," I said in my normal voice, "I think you're all worrying about nothing, you'll be fine, you're knights in shining armour, out to save the day. You're the heroes, you can't lose!"

"Aww, thanks, you always make me feel better," Oric said, smiling. Suddenly, don't ask me how it happened, he leant forward and _kissed me! _And the worst thing was that for some strange reason, I kissed him back! I couldn't understand what was happening, friends didn't kiss like that did they? My heart was pounding in my chest, going one hundred miles per hour. We pulled away from each other after a few moments and looked at each other in silence, then we both laughed.

"Charna's guts! I saw that!" a shocked voice said. I turned around to see Kurda and Cyrus, standing there, their mouths open.

"What the hell happened there?" Cyrus gasped. I gulped.

"Err… I dunno really," I admitted.

"Neither do I," Oric said, blushing.

The next day was one of the worst I'd had. Kurda's investiture would take place in a large hall, tables lined each wall and I was sat underneath one of them, hidden by a long table cloth. I'd been watching the vampires outside the hall for about fifteen minutes, keeping as quiet as I could. I'd had no problem getting in, the hall was empty when Sparcalo and Oric pushed me in and shoved me under the table.

"Good luck," I whispered.

"Thanks," Oric said and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. We'd spent the previous day together and I'd found out that I'd really loved him all along, it just didn't seem right to me because he was so much older. I reasoned now that because we were both vampires it didn't matter, what were thirteen years when you lived to be over four hundred anyway? Cosmo had tried to follow me and had started to bark and whine pitifully when I told him he couldn't come, so in the end I had to give in to him. He was curled up in my arms, his head resting on my shoulders. There was a small gap in the corner where the two different tablecloths met and I could watch everyone in the hall from there without being seen. Nobody had entered the hall yet, there were just three royal vampires sitting silently on thrones like statues. The vampires hadn't yet arrived, they were stood in two lines facing each other just outside the door, I spotted Cyrus, Oric and Sparcalo standing up straight, their smart green uniforms immaculate and it occurred to me just how regal they looked. Oric, Sparcalo, Cyrus and three other vampires I didn't know came into the hall, they were all carrying clothes, I didn't know why, I guessed they must be part of some silly ritual or something. Kurda hadn't told me much about what happened during this investiture thing, I'm not sure he really knew to be quite honest. Then more vampires followed, they were _singing!_ They sounded so funny I just wanted to laugh but I knew that if I did it would probably be the last thing I would ever do. Then behind them came Kurda, he was dressed all in white and was being carried along on a platform held by four vampires. He looked like some sort of Arabian princess.

"You lucky sod," I muttered under my breath. I couldn't help but feel proud to know him though, it felt like I was the friend of some sort of celebrity! Kurda had his head bowed and his eyes closed and I could see that he was breathing fast, he was terrified but determined not to show it. I watched happily as Kurda was carried into the hall, suddenly Cosmo started to struggle in my arms.

"Stop it!" I hissed, but he bit me! I couldn't understand what had got into him but he wriggled underneath the tablecloth and ran off. I just hoped he wouldn't be seen by the vampires, I watched him as he ran and suddenly my heart leapt into my mouth. There was an unwelcome visitor creeping through a hole in the wall. A young boy, bald, dirty and half-naked. He was smiling smugly.

"Stop!" he shouted and all heads turned his way.

"Oh my God, Oh my God!" I breathed, this was very, very bad! Everyone stopped and looked up at Darren Shan, the little weasel! Sparcalo, Oric, and Cyrus leapt into action and I watched intently, waiting to see who would be the first to cut Shan down. A group of vampires leapt after my friends, they managed to grab hold of Cyrus and Oric and pin them to the floor but Sparcalo was too fast for them, he rushed at Shan wielding his pair of knives. He threw one and for the first time since I'd met him he actually missed! He was about to throw the other but two huge wolves jumped out from behind Shan and leapt on him. I gasped as I watched the wolves bite and claw him savagely, I almost darted out from under the table to help him but it would have been useless anyway. Sparcalo yelled, trying to fight the wolves off but he didn't get very far. Then I spotted Cosmo, my sweet little dog, he stood beside Sparcalo, barking and growling savagely, challenging the wolves, which were at least four times bigger than him. One of the wolves grabbed him by the throat in his jaws and bit down hard, Cosmo whimpered and then was still. Sparcalo had stopped yelling, he was just gasping now, trying to push the wolves off of him but one of them ripped at his neck and in that moment he died. I was too scared to cry, Cyrus, Oric and Kurda were still in danger, I had to see what was happening. Shan walked calmly into the middle of the hall and stared at Kurda, his eyes filled with hatred. I tensed all of my muscles, if he took another step I'd be able to reach him, I'd be able to kill him for sure. But he didn't take another step and I noticed another wolf at his heels, larger than the other two, it sniffed the air and I hoped that it wouldn't find me. Cyrus and Oric were trying to break free from the vampires holding them, they had been disarmed but Cyrus was trying to hit them and Oric was biting and snapping at the vampires. Kurda was just staring at Darren Shan from the platform. He seemed surprisingly calm, like he knew it would happen and suddenly I thought about the walk to Vampire Mountain and the night when Desmond Tiny had showed up and had a private word with Kurda. Suddenly it dawned on me why Kurda had been so hysterical when Darren had been swept down the river!

"What's going on?" Roared one of the vampires sitting on the thrones, he must have been one of the other princes. "Why are those vampires fighting? Break them apart immediately!"

"Sire!" a vampire dressed in red said quickly, "Those who raised weapons against Darren are not our allies! Those who hold them down do so at my command, I would strongly advise you against releasing them until you have heard Darren out!"

"No let them go," I pleaded silently, " Darren Shan is a liar."

"Never before has anyone interrupted the investiture of a prince," another of the princes said, "I do not know why you are siding with this boy, but I think the two of you should be removed from this hall until later, when we can…"

"No!" Darren Shan shouted. "You say no one has ever interrupted the investiture of a Prince before, and this might be true, but I say no one has sought to invest a traitor before, so it's time that…"

Shan was cut short as the vampires in the hall exploded with rage, furious that Kurda had been called a traitor. Lots of them leapt forward and started kicking and punching and tearing at Darren Shan, roaring fit to burst.

"Yes! Woo! Rip him to pieces!" I shouted, I couldn't be heard over the yelling and I knew it. Darren was a dead weasel for sure!

"Stop this," the three princes were shouting, "Stop it!"

"No don't stop!" I yelled, laughing. But the vampires obeyed their princes and backed off of Shan. He was cowering there, covering his head with his hands. He wasn't dead! I was fuming!

"But he called Kurda a traitor!" someone yelled. This was the cue for the vampires to start hurling abuse at Shan, I joined in, shouting the foulest names I could think of.

"Enough!" one of the princes shouted, "If it were up to me I'd have you bound and gagged before you could say another word!" he snarled at Shan. I whooped silently. "Then I'd see you hauled off to the Hall Of Death to suffer the fate that you deserve!" there were roars and applause from the vampires who thought that this was a brilliant idea. "But Seba Nile says we should pay attention to what you have to say, and I for one am loath to disregard him."

"I agree with that," one of the other princes said.

"Say your piece Darren, but make it quick." The other Prince said reluctantly. Darren smiled triumphantly.

"Ok, lets see if this is quick enough for you. "Kurda Smahlt killed Gavner Purl. At this very moment dozens of vampaneze lurk in the tunnels beneath us, waiting to attack," there were gasps from the other vampires.

"You lying git!" I growled.

"They were invited here by him," Shan continued, pointing an accusing finger at Kurda who gulped uneasily. "He's a traitor!"

Suddenly everyone was looking at Kurda but not me, I was glaring hatefully at Darren Shan, there were tears dripping down his face, he was crying now.

"That's it, you do the sob, sob act, make everyone feel sorry for you, you little creep!" I thought. There was a long, long silence in the Hall and I trembled, knowing that my friends were surely doomed.

Eventually one of the Princes spoke. "These are grave charges to bring against any vampire," he said, "To level them at a Prince-to-be while he stands on the point of investiture…" he shook his head, "You understand what the consequences will be if you are lying?"

"Why would I lie?" Darren asked, he knew that he now held all the cards. I was dying to wipe that smarmy smirk off of his face, he thought he was invincible! "Everyone knows I failed my trials of initiation and fled before I could be killed. By returning I've condemned myself to execution."

"You liar, you know they'll let you go if you make Kurda out to be the bad guy!" I hissed.

"Do you think I'd do that for no good reason?" Darren continued, "Kurda betrayed you! He's in league with the vampaneze. As near as I can figure, he plans letting them into the Hall of Princes once he's been invested, to seize control of the Stone Of Blood."

"How do you know this?" one of the Princes yelled.

"I'm only guessing about the Stone of Blood," Shan said matter-of-factly, "But I've seen the Vampaneze, Gavner saw them too. That's why Kurda murdered him. He'd have spared my life but I threw myself into the stream in the Hall Of Final Voyage. I was sure I'd die but I survived."

"Unfortunately." I hissed.

"Once I recovered I came back here to warn you," Shan added.

"How many vampaneze are down there?" one of the Princes asked.

"At least thirty, possibly more," Shan said dramatically.

"This makes no sense!" one of the Princes said, obviously frustrated.

"I agree, but a lie this outlandish would be simple to disprove. If he wished to fool us he'd have chosen a less fantastic story," one of the other Princes said.

"Besides," the other Prince sighed, "I look into the boys eyes and there's noting but truth in them."

"Check your glasses Gramps!" I muttered. Suddenly there was a roar and I gasped as Cyrus broke free from the guards holding him down.

"Go Cyrus!" I squealed, I was lucky I wasn't heard but there were shocked mutterings that covered up my voice. Cyrus leapt towards Shan, holding a knife, I was happy that it would be Cyrus who made an end of him.

"No Cyrus!" Kurda bellowed, what the hell was he doing? Cyrus stopped and stared at Kurda questioningly, I noticed the vampire's closing in on him.

"It's over," Kurda said softly, "Don't spill blood unnecessarily, that was never our aim."

Cyrus looked sad and confused, his eyes flickered briefly to me, and then he nodded at Kurda. Then, without any warning, he gulped and used the knife in his hand to stab himself. I pressed my hand over my mouth hard to muffle my screams. There was a steady growing pool of blood around him, when he fell his body sprawled on the floor he was too far away for me to get to. I couldn't risk anyone spotting me but Cyrus wasn't dead yet, he had a few seconds, I needed to let him know that I was there for him. It was so frustrating, I quickly stuck my arm under the tablecloth and grabbed hold of his hand. He stared at me, his eyes were open but lifeless, and the ghost of a smile was on his lips. Tears were running down my face, my best friend had gone, the only reason that I was no longer on the streets was because of Cyrus.

"What have you to say in rebuttal of Darren's claims?" one of the Princes asked.

"At this moment, nothing," Kurda replied.

"You don't deny the charge?" another Prince asked, shocked.

"I do not," Kurda replied quietly. There was a large groan from the crowd of vampires. What was Kurda doing?

"Let's kill him now!" one of the Princes screamed.

"No," I cried.

"With respect Sires," the vampire who had spoken for Darren Shan said, "would it not make more sense to focus on the vampaneze before we execute our own? Kurda can wait, we should deal with the intruders first."

"Seba is right," A Prince said, "The Vampaneze must be put to the sword. There will be time for traitors later." He turned to a group of guards, "Take Kurda and the other traitor away and hold them captive, under no circumstances let them take their own lives. That would be the easy way out, Keep them alive until we have time to interrogate them."

The Vampires stayed in the hall whilst the three Princes and Shan left to discuss things, they would probably praise the swine and tell him what a hero he'd been. I couldn't leave yet, not without being caught. I'd lost everyone in the space of about ten minutes. Cosmo, Sparcalo, Cyrus, and Oric and Kurda were as good as dead.

"Why Cyrus?" I whispered. "Why did you leave me?" I lay under the table and cried and then my sorrow turned into anger and I hissed and swore and spat at the name of Darren Shan. Eventually the vampires filed out of the hall and I was able to leave. I didn't go straight back to the tunnels, I knew it was risky but I had to find Oric and Kurda, they needed me. I covered myself in the long black tablecloth, pulling it over my head so I wouldn't be seen, and then I hurried down the many corridors, searching desperately for my friends. It was amazing really, I didn't get caught and I managed to find the place where Oric and Kurda were being held within about half-an-hour. There were two guards stationed by the door to a Hall. I could see past them, the hall was empty apart from a large pit in the middle of the floor and a few wooden cages that lined the walls. Then I spotted two steel cages in the far corner, about four metres apart so the people inside couldn't touch each other. Kurda and Oric were in the cages, Kurda with his knees drawn up to his chin and his head bowed and Oric curled up with his eyes closed. I needed to get to them, I needed to distract the guards on the door. I drew myself up to my full height, my heart racing. I stepped around the corner and cleared my throat, the guards looked at me suspiciously.

"Seba told me to come and tell you to arrest Vanez Blane, it's an order from the Princes, he's been behaving suspiciously and may have been in league with Kurda," I said authoritatively as if I knew what I was doing. I picked one of the names that I'd heard the vampires talking about.

"What? Now?" one of the guards asked.

"No, next week," I said sarcastically, "Of course now! Move it!" The vampires looked at each other and then dashed off. I stood there for a moment, I was so surprised that it had actually worked! I came to my sense and ran into the hall.

"Kurda!" I hissed.

"Darren?" he asked. I was more than a little hurt.

"No, I'm not a sneaking, two-timing, two-faced, back stabbing, ungrateful, unfriendly, obnoxious, stuck-up, annoying, spiteful, selfish, cowardly little weasel!" I spat.

"Ember it's not his fault, he just got the wrong end of the stick." Kurda sighed.

"Wrong end of the stick? He's turned every vampire in the whole mountain against you, he's ready to watch you be tortured and killed!" I growled.

"I know," Kurda said quietly and then he started to cry.

"Kurda come on, stop it." I pleaded.

"I'm just scared Ember," Kurda sobbed.

"Don't be silly, I'm here now, I'm getting you out aren't I?" I said smiling.

"No," Kurda whispered.

"What do you mean no?" I asked, my mouth open.

"I have to tell the other vampires what I know, if I don't they'll all die, at least if they know they have a small chance of surviving this." Kurda told me.

"Don't be thick! Oric, make him see sense!" I gasped. There was silence, I turned to the cage where Oric was.

"Oric?" I asked. "Oric?"

"Ember leave him, he's dead," Kurda said quietly.

"No! No he can't be! How?" I cried.

"They'd torture him, he would have died anyway, at least he was at peace like this. He had some poison with him, it was in case this happened, Cyrus and Sparcalo had some too. I… I told him to drink it," Kurda sobbed.

"No!" I cried, "Kurda, you stupid idiot! I could have got him out!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," Kurda gulped.

"Oric! Damn you Kurda I loved him!" I screamed.

"Keep it down," Kurda whispered, "Someone will hear!"

"Let them hear, you're not going anywhere anyway right?" I snapped.

"No, but if they find you they'll kill you as well," Kurda said gently.

"I don't care, I don't give a damn, let them come," I hissed.

"Now you're being stupid Ember, you're young, you don't need this, you have to warn the vampaneze and then get out of here," Kurda told me. I swore at him but knew that he was right. I knelt down beside the cage with Oric's body in and took his hand through the bars. He groaned and I jumped back in shock.

"He's alive," I whispered.

"He won't be for much longer," Kurda said grimly. I reached through the bars and stroked Oric's face, then I held his hand tightly in mine and kissed it gently.

"I love you Oric, if you can hear me I want you to know that I love you," I sighed. I poked my other arm through the bars and laid my hand on his chest, his heart was still beating, slowly and faintly, but it was still there. "I love you," I repeated again and again. I kept saying it for five or six minutes, until his heart stopped and he died. Fresh tears spilt down my face and I let go of Oric and stood up.

" You should go," Kurda said softly.

"Ok," I sighed and turned to leave.

"Ember?" Kurda said in a voice barely above a whisper. I stopped and turned to face him again. "Will you come when they kill me?"

I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself. "Do you want me to come?" I asked. Kurda didn't reply, just nodded slightly.

"I promise I'll be there, no matter what, I've told you before, you're a fantastic person and anyone that says otherwise deserves to rot," and with that I left.

I managed to get to just outside the cave where the vampaneze were before I had to stop. I leant against the wall to support myself, it had suddenly dawned on me what had happened, it had been such a shock that it hadn't sunk in properly but it had only been a matter of time. I screamed, collapsed to my knees, and howled pitifully. I was violently sick but I didn't care, and then I was sobbing and retching and gasping for breath in between.

"Ember! What's wrong?" a voice asked, it was Harlan.

"Everything!" I cried. I felt him grab me by the shoulders, pick me up, and then throw me over his shoulder. He carried me into the cave and put me gently on the floor, everyone was silently staring at me.

"You all need to get out, now!" I said. "They're coming, they'll kill you all, Kurda wants me to go tomorrow, I have to stay, you all need to get out!"

"Ember slow down!" Glalda said firmly, calming me instantly. "Now tell us what's happened, where's Kurda and the others?"

"Kurda's been captured by the vampires, the others are all dead." I yelled and dragged my nails across the stone ground, trying to get rid of some of my anger.

"How?" Harlan asked.

"Darren Shan! I'll kill him!" I spat.

"He's alive?" Glalda asked, I nodded.

"He interrupted Kurda's investiture and told the vampires that Kurda was a traitor, he told them about you lot down here and at this very moment they're coming up with a plan to kill you all!"

A few of the vampaneze swore and muttered things under their breaths.

"Don't panic," Glalda said calmly, "They won't find us down here, Kurda chose this cave for a reason."

"But Shan is with them," Harlan pointed out, "He knows where we are."

"But I doubt he'll remember. I say that we should leave but not all of us immediately, we'll only draw attention to ourselves if we all go now and the vampires will have us pinned but if we leave in small groups over the next few days then we should be fine." Glalda said.

"Three days is too long Glalda, they'll send trackers after us, we'll be lucky if they don't find us by the end of tonight," one of the other Vampaneze said.

"I disagree, even if they know where we are I don't think they'll attack by tonight. They know that we are good fighters and won't want to risk losing too many of their people. To be on the safe-side we'll move to a different cavern, Kurda showed me many" Glalda said quietly, "If there's any sign of trouble then we'll go but I think for the moment that it would be best if the majority of us stayed."

"I want to go," a voice said. I turned round to see Jasper standing behind me. "I have no reason to stay ad I think I need to go and figure out what I'm going to do with my life now Onyx is gone."

"You are permitted to leave if you wish Jasper," Glalda said gently. "You deserve a break."

"Thank you Glalda, but I want Ember to come with me."

"I can't," I said. " I need to stay."

"Ember, we don't mind if you want to go," Harlan said. "There's nothing but bad memories for you here."

I nodded silently and gave him a weak smile.

"Ok then," I said, standing up and wiping tears off of my face.

"Come on Ember, let's go," Jasper said kindly, offering me his hand.

"I'm really gonna miss you lot," I said to the crowd of Vampaneze, "You all take care of yourselves."

"We'll try to," Glalda said smiling at me. I hugged the vampaneze I knew best, Glalda, Harlan, and Craig. Harlan fetched my little bag with my sweaters in for me and then I took Jasper's hand and we made our way out of the tunnels, out of the mountain and into the night.

The first breath of fresh air was amazing, the sky was dark and covered with stars, and it took my breath away. Jasper suggested that we just sat outside the tunnels for the night, sleep there by day and then start walking back the next night. I liked the sound of that so we stayed up, gazing at the stars and talking about Onyx, Cyrus, Sparcalo, Oric, Kurda and everyone else that we had lost that had been so important to us.

As soon as night fell the following day I shook Jasper awake.

"I have to go," I whispered.

"Huh? What?" he groaned.

"I promised Kurda I'd be there for him when he died, I can't not show up," I sighed. I didn't want to go back but I knew that I had to.

"Are you sure?" Jasper asked, I don't think he'd even heard me properly.

"Yeah, I'll catch up with you later," I said.

"Ok," Jasper yawned and fell back to sleep. I made my way back up the tunnels with a heavy heart and then I stopped, I could hear yelling and screaming and I knew that there was a fight going on. The vampaneze had moved to a different cave but they'd obviously been found. I wasn't sure what to do, I wanted to help. I opened my bag to take the knife that Cyrus had given me out of it and then I noticed the present waiting there for me. It was three boxes of cigarettes, obviously from Harlan. I knew that I had to help him out then, I had to help them all out, they were my friends, even Gilligan with his broken nose! I took one of the cigarettes out of the box, lit it, smoked it, and then got ready to fight! I can't really remember what happened, it's all a blur now, but I know that I barged past some vampires and started defending my friends. The vampires weren't quite sure what to make of me, I didn't attack any of them, just protected the vampaneze. I was cut and scratched a little, my shoulders, my legs, my arms, my face. I was shaking so much it was amazing I could move at all. I actually think that fighting the vampires was a good thing, I released all of my anger and all of my emotion, and it got it out of my system. There were a group of vampires circled around Gilligan who was on the ground, he was in a bad way. The vampires were laughing at him, taunting him and I saw red.

"This is for Darren Shan!" I screamed, "But you'll do!" and I launched myself at the vampires, slit two throats and ran for it. I zipped past some more vampires and ran up the tunnels, breathing faster than I ever had in my life.

I slept in the cave that we had always used before that night, it felt strange, it was so empty. I wasn't used to sleeping by myself, I'd always been in a cave full of vampaneze and before that I'd been with Kurda, Cyrus, Sparcalo and Oric. I thought about Kurda then, I didn't have a clue how I was going to find out when and where to go, maybe he wouldn't be killed anyway. Though he'd been pretty damn sure he would be and I didn't really believe that he had much of a chance. In the end it turned out that my problem was sorted out for me. I group of vampires came past the cave entrance, discussing their great victory in the battle against the vampaneze, I ground my teeth but listened carefully.

"What do you think will happen to Kurda?" one of them asked.

"They'll question him later today and then they'll send him to the Hall of Death and skewer him like a sausage on a stick," another replied. My stomach churned at the thought of it and as vampires walked away I followed them.

"When do you think they'll question him? I wanna be there to see what he has to say, it'll be funny," another vampire said.

"Dunno, a couple of hours I guess when everyone's cleaned up, I reckon everyone will turn up to watch him squirm," the second laughed. I followed the group of vampires out of the tunnels and as they started to mingle with other groups I hung back, just inside the tunnel round a corner so I couldn't be seen. I was just waiting to hear any information that would tell me what was happening about Kurda.

There weren't many vampires in the hall, it was easy for me to hide behind a stack of wooden cages against one wall. Kurda knew I was there, I made sure he knew. As soon as they dragged him into the Hall of Death and the other vampires were looking away I popped up from where I was hiding and waved at him. Obviously he couldn't wave back but he gave me a weak smile. He didn't struggle as they chained him into another wooden cage, he just let them do it. He was trembling but he held his head high and didn't cry. I'd never really thought of him as being brave, Sparcalo had always been the ferocious 'no nonsense' one of the group, but now I realised that Kurda was much braver than any of us had been, I was sorry that I'd never really appreciated him. He'd always been whiny Kurda, Kurda who was so easily upset, who was on edge, who couldn't relax. But I mean who could blame him if he knew what was going to happen? If there was even a chance that this would have become a reality? And it had, and I was sorry and I bet the others would have been too because Kurda had guts, he'd been carrying so many lies and secrets around and he'd dealt with it and we'd never even thanked him, nobody had. The three vampires that had brought Kurda to the hall blindfolded him and then hoisted the cage up so it dangled over the pit of stakes in the middle of the hall. I dug my fingernails deep into my palms, frustrated that there was nothing I could do to save my only living friend and also scared for him. Kurda's back was facing the stakes, they hadn't even given him the chance to face his death. I know that death is death but Kurda was a proud person and I knew he'd rather face what was coming head on and prove that he could deal with it. They'd stripped him of his clothes as well. They were savages, barbarians, it was no wonder there were so many vampire hunters in the world! If I wasn't I vampire I would have become a hunter myself, I hated the vampires for what they'd done to my friends… what they'd done to me! I was snapped out of my thoughts as the vampires dropped the cage, impaling Kurda on the spikes in the pit. I bit down on my fist so I didn't make a noise. They pulled the wooden cage back up, Kurda's wounds dripped blood and he hung limp in the cage, but he wasn't dead. He was coughing and choking, trying to get air, but he still didn't scream or cry. The vampires dropped the cage again, I wiped the tears away from my cheeks, if Kurda could stay strong then I had to as well. They dropped the cage three times before Kurda died, I watched as they lowered the cage and retrieved his cold, blood-smeared body. They treated him like a dead animal carcass, like he'd never been a person, like he'd never really lived. They dragged his body away, out of the hall and I took one of the sweaters out of my bag, leapt forward and mopped up some of Kurda's spilled blood, I still have it.


	4. Starting Again

I knew I wouldn't find Jasper, he'd have gone on without me and I'd die if I tried to look for him. I just made my way straight home, stealing some money for transport and here I am. I don't have a clue what I'm going to do now, I'm not sure how I'm going to cope. I know I will, as Cyrus said to me when I came round after he blooded me, I've always been a survivor. But as I've said before, there's a difference between surviving and actually living, I don't think I'll ever be alive again.

I curled up behind the Italian restaurant again and slept there for another night. I'd got back into the pattern of sleeping during the night and not during the day as I had been doing. Sunlight didn't affect me because I only had half vampire blood, not full vampire blood, so I was ok. The strangest thing happened that night, it was almost impossible, it seemed like fate must have brought us together, it was too much of a coincidence. I was woken that very night by a man, he was about thirty, black hair, brown eyes, fingernails bitten right down. He put a hand over my mouth, used one of his fingernails to make a small in my arm and then placed his lips on it. I bit down hard on his hand and he let go of me, falling backwards in shock.

"You moron!" I hissed, "What are you doing?"

"Shh! I can explain, please let me have some of your blood, I'm dying. You wouldn't believe me if I told you, please just trust me, I won't hurt you," the man burbled.

"Don't you use your nose? I'm a vampire as well, you can't drink from me," I whispered.

"Oh," the man said and blushed. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to forget about your lot," I snarled.

"I thought you said you were a vampire," the man said suspiciously.

"I am, I just don't much like our race of creatures," I replied, "What were you doing anyway? Why didn't you knock me out if you wanted to drink from me?"

"I'm only half-vampire, I don't have the gas," the man replied, "Help me, please, I'm desperate, I don't know what to do."

"Didn't the person who blooded you teach you anything?" I asked.

"No," the man replied.

"Were you at the council?" I said suspiciously, I though I recognised him.

"Yes, of course I was, that's why I'm so stuck, the person who blooded me died there, he did everything for me," the man sighed.

"How long have you been a vampire?" I asked.

"Four years," the man said shamefully.

"Four years and you don't even know how to feed properly?" I screeched. The man didn't say anything, just gulped. "For goodness sake! Look…I want to be left alone ok? Just go and find someone else to help you."

"How am I supposed to do that? How many more vampires do you think there are around here? I don't have the strength to go on a hunt," the vampire said pleadingly "I haven't drunk blood for almost three months!"

I looked at the vampire and sighed, I had wanted to forget about the lot of them, the Vampaneze as well, and just try and live as normally as possible. But I couldn't not help this man, he was so… desperate.

"Ok, fine," I said quietly.

"Thank you so, so much!" the man said, "My name is Kealan by the way."

"Hi, I'm Ember," I replied and this was the start of my new vampire-cross-human life.

"Kealan! What are you doing?" I snapped.

"I can't find the bleach," Kealan replied.

"What? Why do you need bleach?" I asked, frowning at him.

"I've spilt varnish on the windowsill," Kealan confessed.

"And you're going to try and get it off with bleach?" I said, "Just how thick are you?"

"Well my mum always did that sort of stuff for me," Kealan said. He'd only just left home eight months ago, he'd had a very possessive mother, which was why he became a vampire, it was his only escape from her clutches!

"You might be able to clear the varnish up with some spirits," I sighed, it felt like I had to baby-sit Kealan twenty-four seven.

"Thanks Sweetie," Kealan said, ruffling my hair and winking at me. That's what got my back up most about Kealan, he might have been an idiot, he might have been useless, but he acted like he was the best thing on the Earth! He acted like _he _was the one doing _me _a favour; he made it seem like I was a burden to him but he coped out of the kindness of his heart! Admittedly he did have a very kind heart; he was the most loveable person I'd ever met. Suddenly the phone began to ring and Kealan leapt into the hall to get it. He tripped over the rug, bashed his head on the table, dropped the phone and then fumbled with it for a few seconds.

"Err… ouch… hello?" he said eventually. "Who? One minute please," Kealan held the phone to his chest and hissed at me, "Ember do we know someone named Finch?"

"Yes! That's only my best friend in the whole world who has stayed over here on many occasions, he's the one who you accused of being a thief when you didn't realise you had your sunglasses on top of your head!" I snapped and snatched the phone from him.

"Hi Finch, sorry about Kealan," I said.

"That's ok," Finch laughed.

"What's up?"

"I just wondered if you wanted to meet me up town,"

"What now?"

"Yeah, I'm outside the post office I thought we could go and watch a movie or something, Georgia's meeting me at the cinema I thought maybe you might want to get away from Kealan for a bit," Finch said.

"Yeah ok, I'm on my way," I said and put the phone down.

I had a couple of really good friends, Finch, Georgia, and J.J. Me and Kealan had put our heads together and managed to get me back to school, which I was really enjoying. Obviously nobody knew that I was a half-vampire, they'd completely freak out and probably try to kill me! Well maybe not Finch, I had a hunch that he knew there was something different about me anyway, but he seemed cool with it, he even called me Princess Darkness sometimes! We were a strange bunch, Georgia with her face painted white, and the pencilled scorpion on her left cheek. J.J. who had dyed his hair blue and gelled it up in weird spikes so it looked like he'd just got out of bed. And Finch who was never seen without a huge bag full of books, magazines, talismans, lighters, paper, pens, small rag dolls, pins, needles, threads, rune stones, moon charts, crystals and all manner of other weird and wonderful things, slung over his shoulder. And of course Finch never went anywhere without Sebastien, his longhaired black cat who walked like a dog with a small black lead and harness. I was probably the only one of the bunch who looked semi-normal, but they had accepted me as part of their group within the first week I had started at my new school and they were the best friends anyone could have.

"How's Kealan the wonder Dad?" Finch asked, we were walking down the street together to the cinema. Finch, Georgia and J.J. were the only one's who knew that Kealan wasn't my Dad, I had to tell them, it wasn't exactly hard to work out anyway but now it was a standing joke between us.

"Yeah he's alright," I replied. "How's your brother?"

"Ok I guess, he's threatening to send me up to Scotland to live with mum and dad," Finch sighed.

"Why?"

"He's been getting ratty lately because his girlfriend's been hanging round with his best mate a bit more than he's comfy with," Finch said.

"Poor Mark," I muttered.

"I offered to make him a love potion but he just snapped at me and told me to get to my room, he really bugs me when he's like that," Finch said, frowning. "But anyway, are you auditioning for the school play?"

"I dunno," I replied, shrugging, "I probably wouldn't be good enough."

"Are you kidding! You're fantastic at drama, Mr. Swanson says he's never seen anybody who can cry on cue like you can, and the voices you can do are amazing!" Finch said enthusiastically.

"Well are you doing it?" I asked.

"Of course I am, it's the Dark Prince, if I can't do that then I don't know who can!" Finch exclaimed.

"You'd definitely get the lead," I said.

"Don't be a creep," Finch laughed. We arrived at the cinema, Georgia was standing, leaning against a lamppost and trying to look like she didn't care as people stared at her as they walked by. She always attracted attention, I think that was the basic idea though.

"Where's J.J.?" Finch asked as she came over to use. Georgia shrugged. I heard J.J. creep up on us but I didn't want to spoil his fun so I pretended to be surprised when he grabbed Finch and me into equally strong headlocks.

"Ha!" he exclaimed, "Did you miss me? I bet you did you little punks you can't do anything without yours truly!"

"Damn it J.J.! Don't scare me like that!" Finch yelled after he'd wriggled away from J.J.'s grip. "Where have you been?"

"It's cool man, I was at the library. They just got some new computers fitted so I was checking out the sites my mum won't let me look at, oh right!" J.J. said, grinning.

"They've got an Internet connection?" I asked, my ears pricking up.

"Isn't that what I just said miss?" J.J. replied.

"Can you use e-mail?" I said, anxiously.

"Of course, what's up with you, you look like you've seen a ghost or something," J.J. said, staring at me uncertainly.

"Would you guys mind if I disappeared for a bit? I've got to do something," I said vaguely.

"Yeah sure, if you have to, as long as you meet us in McDonalds at five, ok?" Georgia said, smiling.

"Yeah ok," I replied, "See you all later," and then I started to walk quickly back the way I had just come.

**Dear Steve**

**I'm e-mailing you first to tell you how sorry I am, and secondly to ask you to do me a favour if you can. I shouldn't have been such an idiot when we were chatting last year, I learnt the hard way what these vampires are like. I won't go into details, I don't want to, but lets just say I had a very bad experience. Have you managed to become a vampire hunter yet? If you have I wonder if you could help me track someone down, I want a vampire got rid of and I'll pay you anything you want. I'll understand if you're busy, or if you just don't want to talk to me any longer, but if you want to get in touch my number is 01254884090. **

**Ember AKA ChatGal **

I sighed and sent the e-mail, seriously doubting that I would ever hear from Steve-the-vampire-slayer, but I had to try.

I was sitting in the head teacher's office, I was shaking violently.

"I've called your father, he's on his way," Mr. Brian said quietly, "I've never witnessed anything like this before."

I gulped and stayed silent, I couldn't think of anything to say. I continued to suck my finger even though the blood had long since dried up.

"Mrs. Kay thinks that it would be wise to refer you to the school psychiatrist," Mr. Brian said after a while. I was shocked, they thought I was mad!

"Please sir, I don't need to see the psychiatrist, I was just having a bad day," I said quickly and put on a false smile.

"We all have bad days Ember, but not many people tend to destroy a classroom and then start pricking themselves with pins," Mr. Brian said uncertainly.

"Needles," I corrected in a voice barely above a whisper. Then there was a knock and the young office secretary poked her head round the office door.

"Mr. Jenkins to see you sir," she said, she gave me a funny look and then retreated back to the reception desk. Kealan came striding into the office and plonked himself down into a soft leather chair beside me, not even waiting for an invitation. He sat in the chair as though he was the child and he was being told off.

"Hello Mr. Jenkins, I suppose you're wondering what all this is about," Mr. Brian said, suddenly smiling warmly.

"Yes sir," Kealan said, not quite daring to meet the headmaster's eye.

"I'm Mr. Brian," Mr. Brian said, obviously thinking that Kealan had forgotten, why else would he have addressed him as sir?

"Kealan Jenkins," Kealan replied, still looking anywhere but at the headmaster.

"Err… yes I know," Mr. Brain said uncertainly, "Anyway, to get right to the point, we've had a bit of trouble in Textiles today haven't we Ember?"

"Yes sir," I replied.

"Would you like to explain what happened to your father so we can discuss what is to be done," Mr. Brian said. Kealan looked over his shoulder as though someone else had entered the room without him knowing, he gazed around, obviously confused.

"Dad!" I exclaimed, giving him a dig in the ribs and a pointed look at the headmaster.

"Oh yeah… yes honey?" Kealan said, realisation suddenly dawning on him. He put on what he must have thought was a fatherly face; it made him look as though he was in pain!

" Well… I was in Textiles class today with Mrs. Kay and we were sewing. I pricked myself and made myself bleed and I started crying and Jenny Liver said that I was a baby for crying at a pinprick. Finch stuck up for me and we got into a fight and wrecked the classroom but she wouldn't shut up so I started to prick my finger over and over again to prove that I didn't care," I explained quietly.

"Err… Mr. Brian, I realise that Ember's behaviour might appear… disturbing but considering her past I think that she should be cut a little slack," Kealan said. I could have hit him, why did he have to bring that into it?

"What do you mean by that?" Mr. Brian asked.

"Living without her parents, forced onto the streets and life as a vampire isn't all peaches and cream either," Kealan said solemnly. I couldn't believe he'd said it, I knew he was stupid but I didn't know he was _that_ stupid.

"Kealan!" I screeched, standing up. "Are you crazy?"

"I'm sorry I don't understand," Mr. Brian said, frowning.

"I'm just trying to get you out of trouble," Kealan said defensively.

"Kealan, you can't say that in front of him, he'll call a doctor and they'll send us both to see a shrink or worse they'll send us to the loony bin!" I hissed.

"Is there something that the school should be informed of?" Mr. Brian asked uncertainly. Without warning the office window smashed and a figure jumped into the office, grabbed Mr. Brian by the shirt and breathed a cloud of gas into his face, Mr. Brian went limp and the stranger dropped him onto the floor. The figure had moved too quickly to be human and I didn't like it at all, I reacted as fast as I knew how and jumped at the person. He was a man and wasn't expecting me to attack, let's just say I kicked him somewhere I've heard to be quite painful and he crumpled immediately to the ground.

"Charna's guts Ember!" the intruder squealed in a high pitched voice. Except from it's highness I knew it instantly.

"Jasper?" I asked. I got down onto my knees next to him and he smiled at me weakly. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were trying to kill me!" I laughed.

"I just saved your behind from the shrink remember?" Jasper said, he took a deep breath and sat up, "Who's the big mouthed idiot?"

I glanced over at Kealan who cautiously crawled out from underneath Mr. Brian's desk where he had hidden the instant the window had been smashed.

"That's Kealan, I've been living with him, he's half-vampire," I explained.

"You've been keeping Ember safe?" Jasper asked Kealan, smiling warmly.

"Err… yeah, she's trouble sometimes but I cope, it's hardly a chore looking after her though," Kealan said, modest as ever.

"Shall we go, there's a woman running towards the office and if you want to explain all this then stay but I'd rather get the heck out of here," Jasper said. He had stronger hearing than Kealan and I because he was full- vampaneze and although we had sensitive hearing his was even more so. Jasper helped me out of the broken window, waited for Kealan to scrabble through, and then hopped through himself. There was the sound of a woman screaming and we all gave each other a quick glance before silently deciding to leg it!

We didn't stop running until we reached Kealan's house.

"We came here earlier, I tracked you down Ember and I thought you were here and when I saw the photo of you in your school uniform and you weren't there I put two and two together. But we were really hungry, we've been on the road for ages so I stole some food, I'll replace it Kealan I promise, I hope you don't mind," Jasper panted as Kealan was fumbling for his keys.

"No worries," Kealan replied.

"Excuse me, Jasper, did you say 'we'?" I asked, intrigued.

"Oh yes!" Jasper said, slapping his head as though he'd forgotten something very important. "I didn't tell you did I?"

"Tell me what?" I asked.

"Oh, he's fantastic… I can't believe I forgot… you're going to love him! Oh he's… oh I'll let you see for yourself!" Jasper stuttered, too excited to put together a simple sentence.

"Kealan hurry up and open the door!" I said impatiently. Kealan rolled his eyes, got the right key, and was just about to put it in the keyhole when the door was opened from the inside by a fourteen year old boy. I hadn't seen him for a long time and he'd grown up but I recognised him instantly, how could I forget? I screamed and fell backwards.

"Charna's guts!" I cried, I could already feel the tears starting to come to my eyes.

"Alright Sis?" the boy asked.

"Christo?" I asked, not quite daring to believe it. The boy didn't say anything, just smiled sheepishly and nodded. "Christo!" I screamed, stood up, rushed at him and knocked him off his feet.

"I missed you," Christo said quietly.

"You never told me you had a twin brother, I found him on the road and it took me two weeks to pair you two together," Jasper said from behind me.

"You!" I yelled, turning and glaring at him. "You brilliant blood sucker!" I lunged at him the same way I had done with Christo.

"I thought you'd be happy," Jasper said.

"Happy? I'm ecstatic!" I cried. "Oh my God!" and with that I was forced to rush past everybody and into the house, I ran into the bathroom and was violently sick.


	5. Christo you're an idiot!

"Christo… you're an idiot," I said simply.

"Why?" Christo asked, shocked.

"Who's stupid idea was it to blood you as a half-vampaneze?" I asked, they'd only just broken the news to me and I think I'd taken it pretty well so far.

"Mine I guess, but…" Christo said uncomfortably.

"But what? God Christo, you always had to copy what I did! I can't escape from you!" I tutted.

"I didn't copy you, I'm half-vampaneze and you're half-vampire… plus I was blooded before you anyway," Christo said irritably.

"How long have you been a half-vampaneze?" I asked, I was getting more and more wound up now.

"Since just after mum… died," Christo said, choosing his words carefully, "Jasper told me you knew about that. I've been a half-vampaneze for almost three years now."

"What? Oh this is great! This is perfect!" I said, throwing my arms up in the air despairingly, a habit that I had caught off of Sparcalo. "I'll be in my room!"

I emerged half an hour later when I heard Jasper yelling.

"Get off of me! Help!"

I ran downstairs to find Christo sat on top of Jasper, pinning him to the ground.

"What's going on?" I demanded.

"Give me a hand Sis," Christo panted, struggling to keep Jasper on the floor.

"What with?" I asked.

"Just pass me that mug," Christo said desperately. I passed him a mug full of blood that had been sitting on the coffee table and watched as he held Jasper's nose, forced his mouth open and started to pour the liquid down Jasper's throat. Jasper coughed and spluttered, trying to spit it out but Christo was too quick and shut his mouth again so he had to swallow. When Christo was sure that Jasper had swallowed he got off of him and Jasper struggled to his feet, gagging.

"What was all that about?" I asked.

"He hasn't drunk blood for a week, he needed it, I have to force-feed him," Christo explained. Jasper turned pale and ran for the bathroom, we could hear him retching over the toilet.

"Is there any point if he's just going to throw it up again?" I said.

"His body has already taken what it needs out of the blood before it comes back up anyway." Christo explained. The phone started to ring.

"I've got it!" Kealan yelled from the kitchen and there was a bang as he collided with something in his haste to get to the phone. "It's for you!" he yelled.

"For who?" Christo yelled back.

"For Ember!" Kealan bellowed. I rolled my eyes and went to see who wanted me.

"Hello?" I asked as I picked up the phone.

"Ember it's Georgia, there's an emergency, we've lost Finch," Georgia said, sounding worried.

"What do you mean you've lost him?" I sighed.

"His brother doesn't know where he is, he didn't come home from school and he hasn't phoned me at all, it's not like him," Georgia explained.

"He's probably at J.J.'s house, maybe he got carried away and forgot to call," I suggested.

"J.J.'s with me, he hasn't seen him either, you've got to help us look for him!" Georgia sounded desperate.

"Of course I will, he was supposed to be coming over to mine but what with everything at school we didn't get round to it," I said.

"What happened?" Georgia asked, "You completely freaked out in Textiles, we thought you were having like a nervous breakdown."

"It doesn't matter, I'll tell you all when we find Finch, I'm on my way round now," I said quickly and put the phone down.

It was getting late and the air was cold, the only light was provided by the street lamps and the shop windows. I'd been searching for almost an hour and a half but had found no sign of Finch, neither had Georgia or J.J. My heart suddenly leapt as I heard a familiar voice coming from round the corner.

"Please, just another half an hour!" it begged.

"I'm sorry young man but we have to close," a female voice said sternly and then I heard Finch cursing loudly. I rounded the corner and saw him stood outside the library doors with his bag slung over his shoulder and a stack of books tucked under one arm.

"Finch?" I asked gently, walking over to him. He was in a bit of a state, there was something definitely wrong.

"Ember?" he asked, whipping round to face me.

"What are you doing?" I asked, smiling, "You've had us all really worried."

"Stay away from me Ember!" Finch snapped, backing away until he was pressed against the library doors.

"What's wrong?" I asked, the smile fading from my lips.

"I just don't want you near me," Finch said quietly.

"If it's about Textiles I'm sorry, it was an accident, I was having a bad day and I was stressed." I sighed.

"And then you get sent to the head and half an hour later he's found unconscious with his office window smashed in," Finch mumbled.

"That was nothing to do with me," I lied. I took a step forward.

"Stay where you are, I don't want you near me!" Finch shrieked.

"I told you that was nothing to do with me, I didn't even know about it!" I said desperately.

"Shut up! Stop lying! You're always lying!" Finch yelled.

"I'm not lying! Please believe me!" I begged, "You're my best friend!"

"Stop with the act already Ember, I know what you are, I've always known I just didn't want to believe it but after today it was obvious, I did some research and I know now that it's true for sure," Finch growled.

"What's true?" I asked quietly, dreading the answer.

"You're a vampire," Finch whispered.

"What a load of rubbish, vampires aren't real," I said quickly.

"Come on Ember! The scars, the athletic speed, remember sports day? Then there was the thing in Textiles today Ember, you're too strong to be a regular kid, you're too strong to even be human, and you're not!" Finch insisted.

"I don't have to listen to this!" I cried and turned to walk away only to be stopped by someone blocking my way.

"Christo!" I exclaimed, surprised.

"You're busted Sis," Christo shrugged.

"Go away!" I hissed.

"Surely you can't leave him there if he knows," Christo said disapprovingly.

"I can't do anything about it," I whispered.

"I can though," Christo said and without warning he raced past me and grabbed Finch who didn't have a clue what to do, Christo was too fast and Finch didn't have time to react. I turned quickly to see Finch struggling against Christo who had one arm round his neck and the other clamped over his mouth. Finch dropped the books that he had under his arm and his face turned deadly pale, I'd never seen anyone so scared.

"What are you doing!" I cried.

"I'm hungry, this way we kill two birds with one stone," Christo laughed.

"No!" I screamed but Christo had already sliced a vein in Finch's neck and began to suck the wound dry. Finch wriggled desperately, there were frightened tears streaming down his face.

"Stop it!" I shrieked but Christo ignored me and carried on drinking. Finch was breathing faster than I'd ever seen anyone breathe before and I could hear his muffled screams under Christo's hand. "Christo stop!" I cried, the tears streaming down my face, my brother was killing my best friend. Again Christo ignored me, I made a quick decision and ran at him, knocking him over. Finch collapsed to the ground and I wrestled with Christo for a while.

"Stop it you'll waste him!" Christo whined.

"I told you to stop and you didn't!" I screamed, "He's my best friend!"

"He _was _your best friend," Christo corrected with a sigh.

"You didn't kill him," I whispered, trying to convince myself more than anything. I stood up and looked at Finch's body, which was lying on the ground, it was very still. "You didn't kill him," I said again. Christo stood up and wandered over to the body, he knelt down in front of it and lifted Finch's head, ready to drink again.

"Leave him alone!" I snapped.

"There's no point in wasting good blood," Christo reasoned.

"You monster!" I spat," You don't have any respect for life, to you humans are just things, just animals put there for your leisure aren't they!" I said accusingly. Christo didn't say anything, just stared at me. I went over to Finch and knelt next to him beside Christo, I put my hand on his chest expecting to feel nothing but then I felt a heartbeat. It was slow and distant but it was there, Finch was alive!

"You didn't kill him," I said quietly, "He's not dead!"

"Not yet, but he doesn't have long," Christo shrugged.

"We need to call an ambulance," I insisted and took my mobile phone out of my pocket.

"I'm not calling a damn ambulance!" Christo said as if the idea was crazy.

"We have to," I replied.

"No way," Christo snatched my phone from me.

"Give it back!" I cried, "He'll die!"

"Let him die, it doesn't matter," Christo sighed.

"I hate you, you make me sick," I cried, hardly believing what I was hearing, "You're not my brother!"

"Who'd want to be the brother of a pathetic little Borth like you?" Christo snapped, loosing his cool.

"Take that back, how dare you!" I snarled.

"I wouldn't say anything that wasn't true, that Kurda was a Borth and deserved everything he got and you're a Borth as well, any Vampaneze who lived as shamefully as you did would be got rid of!" Christo growled.

"What about Jasper?" I asked quietly.

"Jasper will get what's coming to him eventually," Christo said and then turned on his heel and walked off, leaving me with Finch who was slowly bleeding to death. I spat on my fingers and rubbed it into the cut on Finch's neck but I was only half-vampire and my spit didn't have the healing properties that full- vampire spit has.

"Help!" I yelled, I didn't want to leave Finch but he needed help and quickly. "Help!"

I waited five minutes but nobody came, it was too late, people didn't like to walk the streets at night. I had to make a decision right there and then, I couldn't take him to hospital, the next one was fourteen miles away and I didn't have my phone to call an ambulance. But I couldn't carry him back to Kealan's either, it was too far for me to carry him and I didn't know whether it was safe to move him, plus Christo would be there.

Ten minutes had passed, I was desperate now, I needed to do something quickly or Finch would die. That's when I was helped by the last person I ever expected. I didn't know who it was at first, a man just rushed towards me without saying a word, he made no sound as he moved, it was creepy. He knelt next to me beside Finch's body, checked his pulse and then took a mobile phone out of the pocket of the black jeans he was wearing. He dialled the number and asked for an ambulance, I watched him in silence. He finished the call and put the mobile phone back into his pocket.

"The ambulance is on it's way," he said, I recognised his face but his voice didn't ring any bells.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

"You don't know who I am do you?" the man asked, smiling.

"I don't think so," I replied.

"I'll give you a clue, you know who I am but you don't know me," the man said, I didn't like this game.

"Are you some kind of celebrity?" I asked, grasping at anything, I was sure I'd seen his face before but where?

"No, not quite, not yet," the man said.

"Then who?" I asked.

"I'll see if you're intelligent enough to work it out for yourself Ember, if you're not then I won't be needing you," the man said, his eyes were gleaming, he was enjoying this.

"Were you a teacher at my old school?" I guessed.

"No, I taught you but teaching wasn't my profession," the man laughed.

"What did you teach me?" I asked, intrigued.

"Ah, that would be telling, but lets just say without the knowledge I gave you, you wouldn't be what you are today," the man said mysteriously. I thought for a moment, studying the mans face closely, dark hair and dark eyes, a pale face, I made the features younger, the image not so rugged and I had him pinned. I couldn't believe it was him, it was really him, I'd finally met him. Then I stopped, remembering what he'd said to me last time we had chatted and I stood up and started to back away.

"Clever girl, you know who I am now, don't you?" Steve said, smiling. I nodded wordlessly and continued to back away.

"Don't worry, I've changed," Steve said, I stopped backing away but didn't come any closer, there was something about him I didn't trust. "Actually you'd be surprised how much I have changed." Steve added and held up his hands, palms towards me. He had a long scar running down each finger, I'd never been so relieved to see the mark of the vampires. I sighed and took a few steps towards him.

"Surely not," I breathed, smiling.

"I know, amazing isn't it?" Steve grinned.

"You were following me," I said, he must have been.

"Ever since I got your last e-mail, I know about Kealan, I know about Jasper, I know about Christo, I know about your human friends, I know about your school, I checked up on you Ember."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because we're so similar, we want the same thing," Steve replied.

"What is that exactly?"

"Remember when we last talked and I said that I hated vampires because two of them had ruined my life? Well one of them was once my best friend, he betrayed me, he took what I wanted out of spite and now I want revenge, he's a half-vampire, I think you have the displeasure of knowing him," Steve said.

"Darren Shan," I muttered. Steve screwed up his face and then spat on the ground.

"I hate even hearing his foul name!" he growled.

"I know how you feel, he killed every friend that I had ever had before I met Kealan, unless you count Jasper. He betrayed another of his friends to the vampire clan calling him a traitor and a murderer and the vampires killed him and his followers, they were like my family," I sighed.

"He ruins things doesn't he?" Steve said quietly.

"I'll ruin him, I'll make him wish he had never lived," I hissed.

"Get in line," Steve muttered, "I'm planning his downfall, you're quite welcome to watch. Before your e-mail I didn't have a clue where I would find him, it would have taken me a long time to track him down but now thanks to you I know where he is. I've been able to fill in the blanks of what he's been up to since I last saw him until the present day, his stay with the freak show, his trip to Vampire Mountain, his promotion," Steve said.

"Promotion? What promotion?" I asked.

"I take it you didn't know they made him a vampire prince," Steve sighed.

"What!" I screamed, "No! They can't do that! That was supposed to have been Kurda's job, that promotion was meant for Kurda! Shan wasn't even a general, he was just a little weasel runt!"

"Calm down," Steve said but there was no authority in his voice.

"I can't calm down, my bloods boiling, I hope for his sake that I never get within ten miles of him or there'll be nothing left of him except his eyes! I'll make him watch while I carve his body into little pieces and feed them to a wolf because thanks to him I no longer have a dog!" I shrieked.

"I'm liking you more and more," Steve giggled. That was when we heard the sirens in the distance announcing the arrival of the ambulance, Steve looked worried.

"I need to go," he said quickly. "Before nosy paramedics start asking me questions."

"I understand," I replied.

"I'll come and get you tomorrow," Steve told me.

"I'm at school tomorrow," I said.

"So, I'll pull you out, how about half twelve?" Steve smiled.

" Call it twelve so I miss maths and you're on," I replied, returning the smile. Steve bowed his head and then turned on his heel and walked quickly away.

When I had made sure that Finch was safely on his way to hospital I sat down to think, I didn't want to return home. I was terrified I'd end up doing something I'd regret to Christo, he was my brother and I loved him but he wasn't quite as I'd remembered, pain and sorrow had given him a startling new makeover. I made my way to the beach and sat for a long time on the sand, waiting for the sun to come up. When it finally did I ran home and climbed through the window to get my school uniform and a bottle of blood, with that I went and stood outside the school gates for a long time. I was actually dreading going into school, for one thing I'd have to face Mr. Brian and try and explain to him what had happened the previous day. For another thing I didn't know how much Georgia and J.J. knew about what had happened to Finch, it could be quite awkward. The good thing was, thanks to Steve I was only having to do less than half a day. I didn't know how he was going to pull it off, the security at my school is pretty tight and Steve wasn't the most trustworthy looking guy on the planet as it was. In fact I wasn't sure if _I _yet trusted him completely, I somehow felt like he wanted me to be a little brush stroke on a very big picture and I wasn't quite sure why he'd singled me out. I've always been quite good at guessing how people are feeling and what they are thinking and to me, from my first impressions, it seemed that Steve was forever plotting. Forever searching, forever trying to figure out if he pulled one thread how would it effect him in the long run. It was an admirable quality, it's clever and smart to be such a deep thinker and plan so far ahead but it's also dangerous because people like that can be up to anything. They can do anything and you wouldn't find out until it came up to you, waved and then shot you with a machine gun. And it would only be in those last few seconds as you took your last breaths that you'd figure it out, and of course, by then, it's too late, you've already gone.

I didn't spot Georgia or J.J. until just as the bell for the end of registration sounded. I had double science first and had to make my way over to the lab block, which was just behind the office corridor. The office corridor was where all the teacher's offices were and also where main reception was, that was when I saw Georgia and J.J. with Finch's older brother. They were talking in hushed voices to Mrs. Harnick, the lady who worked in the reception area. I wandered over to them.

"Mark! Mark! How's Finch?" I asked, quickly.

"Alive, thank Christ," Mark said, turning to face me.

"Has he said anything?" I said. J.J. and Georgia looked uncomfortable and Mark pretended he hadn't heard the question.

"You had better get to class Ember," Mrs. Harnick said, sounding stern but she smiled gently.

"You two go with her, I'll sort it out here," Mark said and Georgia, J.J. and me all headed for the lab block together. I was walking quite fast, trying to get to class quickly before awkward questions were asked. I still hadn't figured out what I was going to tell them yet.

"Hey what's your hurry to get to science?" Georgia asked. I shrugged.

"I like science," I replied, which wasn't a complete lie.

"With Mr. Ovo? Are you crazy?" J.J. asked.

"Mr. Ovo's nice enough," I said defensively.

"He's a murderer," Georgia said matter-of-factly.

"No he's not," I snorted, I was glad we hadn't launched into a conversation about Finch so I wanted to keep this going.

"Yes he is, everyone knows he is," J.J. said, grinning, he was about to tell a gory story, I knew it. "Before he became a teacher he used to slit people's stomachs open and take out all their organs, he used to keep all the blood in bottles in his fridge and then sell them to sicko's and joke shop owners, apparently he made a bomb. Then he got caught and had to run away from the police and he went undercover as a science teacher."

"You're mad," I laughed.

"Of course I am," J.J. replied and bowed.

"Look, if we don't get going Mr. Ovo's going to kill _us!_" Georgia sighed and we all started to walk quickly again.

It turned out that Mr. Ovo didn't kill us, in fact he didn't say a word as we walked into the classroom while he was on a rant about forensic science. His was one of the rare classes that was silent apart from the teacher's voice. He had a way of teaching that gripped you, even if you weren't a great lover of the subject you couldn't help but get drawn in to what he was saying. He always appeared to know more about individuals than he let on, like he was able to read minds. For example: I can remember one lesson when Finch was down because Mark had threatened to send him back to his parents once again, Mr. Ovo handed back our quiz results and smiled at Finch as he handed him his.

"Let your brother see the report I'm writing for you and Scotland will seem like a long, long way of buddy," he had said quietly. Finch stared at him open-mouthed, he'd only ever told Georgia, J.J. and me about living with his brother.

"He's psychic," Finch whispered to us.

"Don't be stupid, he's a teacher, he got the info from your file," Georgia said dismissing the idea.

"Just seems a bit of a coincidence that he should say that today though," Finch mumbled.

I got lost in what Mr. Ovo was saying about how slowly fat burns, everything else was pushed right to the back of my mind until there was a knock on the classroom door.

"I wonder who that could be, let's open the magic door and find out," Mr. Ovo said in the way of a tots TV presenter. We all laughed.

"Oi! Come in or get lost!" Mr. Ovo yelled. Mr. Brian walked in and Mr. Ovo turned scarlet, I don't think he'd meant to tell the head teacher to get lost!

"Err… J.J. you shouldn't shout at the door like that, it's rude," he said, quickly and smiled innocently at Mr. Brian.

"Sorry for disturbing your class Mr. Ovo," Mr. Brian said, formally.

"No problem, what can I do you for Mr. B?" Mr. Ovo said, brightly.

"Could I take Ember Jenkins for a moment?" he asked. I gulped and silently begged for Mr. Ovo to say no.

"Of course, is this about the you-know-what that happened yesterday?" Mr. Ovo asked, obviously intrigued.

"Err… yes," Mr. Brian said, I don't think he liked Mr. Ovo much.

"Go on then Ember," Mr. Ovo said, he gave me a strange look as I walked past him. "And Ember?"

"Yes sir?" I asked.

"How's your cat?" he asked. I saw Mr. Brian frown.

"I don't have a cat sir," I replied.

"Dog?" Mr. Ovo said.

"Err… no sir," I mumbled, why was he asking me about animals?

"How about a chinchilla?"

"No sir, I don't have any pets," I said.

"Ah, well, that explains a lot," Mr. Ovo said, smiling. "Off you go then, behave, bye!" he called as I started out of the door with a confused looking Mr. Brian. Mr. Ovo waved and I waved back, then Mr. Ovo burst out laughing for no reason at all. He was absolutely barking mad!

Mr. Brian didn't even bother taking me to his off, he just walked a little way down the corridor and turned to face me.

"I need a description of the man that broke into my office yesterday and an account of what happened." He said.

"I didn't see his face, he was wearing a mask," I lied, "He smashed the window and broke in and then when he knocked you out Kealan… err… my dad and me ran away, he chased us but we shook him off."

"I thought as much," Mr. Brian sighed. "Are you alright?"

I was surprised by the question, Mr. Brian didn't seem the caring type but I think the break in had shocked him and he expected that it had one the same to me.

"It had me a bit rattled sir," I said, faking being shaken, "But I think I'm alright."

"Good girl, you'd best get back to class," Mr. Brian said and gave me a rare smile. He seemed to have forgotten why I was in his office the previous day and that suited me fine. I went back to science and the apparently messed up Mr. Ovo. Maybe he really was a psycho killer, he wasn't all there anyway!

At the end of the lesson we always played a game on the interactive whiteboard, it involved us splitting into two teams with a leader for each team. There was an open science question at the bottom of the board and when you pressed play objects and words started to fall from the top of the screen. The leader's of each team could control the little person at the bottom of the board and they had to collect all the words and objects related to the science question before they hit the bottom. Ten hits and the team leader lost. We played for five minutes at the end of every double lesson and so far my team was tragically loosing… by quite a lot.

"You need a good player, you're not doing to good," Mr. Ovo said to my team in a stage whisper. "Use someone with good reflexes this time!"

Several people put their hands up, I didn't bother, I preferred to watch but by the way Mr. Ovo looked at me I knew he wanted me to play today.

"Ember? I've heard you're quite fast, want a go?" he asked.

"Not particularly sir, I'm only fast on the racetrack," I said, quietly.

"Prove it," Mr. Ovo dared. I shook my head but I was forced to go up when he got the whole class chanting my name.

"Fine!" I snapped. If he wanted me to play, then I'd play. The problem was that I wasn't one for deliberately losing anything, I was very competitive, and with my vampire speed I didn't receive a single hit. Meanwhile Harry Gibson, reigning champion was thrashed within two minutes. My team cheered and Harry's team groaned.

"Very impressive," Mr. Ovo said, smiling. " In fact I don't think I've ever seen _anybody _do it so fast!"

The way he was looking at me made me feel uncomfortable and I was relieved when the bell for the end of the lesson sounded. I practically sprinted out of the classroom. Georgia caught up with me half way down the corridor so I slowed down.

"What's up with Mr. Ovo, have you upset him?" she asked.

"I don't think so," I replied.

"Maybe he heard about Finch and felt sorry for you," Georgia suggested.

"Yeah, that must be it," I replied but didn't really believe it.

I went to drama after break, Miss. Utherford was holding the first auditions for the school play the following day so she spent most of the lesson talking about what she wanted done if we were interested in joining in with the play. I hoped that Finch was back in school by tomorrow because he wanted to be in the play so much, he'd already worked out that if, no, _when_ he got the lead role he was going to ask Miss. Utherford if he could bring his cat into school for the play and use him as a prop. If he was still in hospital he'd be missing his cat, it was amazing that Sebastien hadn't been with him when I cornered him the night before outside the library, it showed how worked up he must have been. We had finally started on some practical work in drama when Mrs. Harnick called me out of class.

"Your uncle has come to pick you up, he said you knew about it," she said. It took me a moment to work out what she meant but then I twigged that Steve must have been pretending to be a relative. I nodded and followed Mrs. Harnick to reception where Steve was waiting.

"Thanks," he said to her and then he put an arm round my shoulder and steered me out to the school gates.

"Don't say a word until I say it's ok," Steve hissed through gritted teeth, "There's a security camera hidden above the gate, it monitors the whole street outside so smile and act natural."

I did as I was told, surprised at the sudden news that we were being watched, the school gang would pay very well for this information, it was a good job I had good contacts within the group.

"We're ok now," Steve said eventually. He took his arm away from my shoulders and stopped.

"Where are we going now?" I asked.

"The apartment I'm staying in at the moment, it's a few towns away but a great location for what I'm doing," Steve said, smiling at me.

"Are you on your own?" I said.

"Never, I'm well protected," Steve grinned. "By the way, when you meet R.V. don't stare at his hands, keep your mouth shut," he added in an undertone. I wasn't sure what he meant but I nodded anyway.


	6. When The Blood Turned

Steve's apartment was a dump, it was falling apart. In fact it was barely standing, the places on either side had already collapsed in on themselves and it would only be a matter of time before Steve's place did the same.

"Knock, knock," Steve growled, kicking open the door.

"Look who's finally decided to turn up," someone mumbled. Steve walked into the room and I followed, nervously. When I saw who was sprawled out on Steve's moth eaten sofa I couldn't stop myself from grinning. I tugged on Steve's sleeve and he looked at me questioningly so I put my finger to my lips and crept round the back of the sofa. The vampaneze that was laid there hadn't seen me, I wanted to surprise him, I couldn't believe how many old friends had turned up in the last couple of days. I reached over the back of the sofa quickly, put one hand over the vampaneze's eyes and my arm around his neck.

"What the…." He began, trying to sit up.

"Guess who," I giggled.

"No! That's impossible! Surely that's not Ember?" he gasped.

"Hiya Harlan," I said, grinning, taking my hands away from him.

Harlan twisted round and stared at me open-mouthed.

"I'm sorry, am I missing something here?" Steve asked.

"He was one of the vampaneze at Vampire Mountain," I explained.

"Was he now?" Steve said, I didn't like the way he said it.

"That was before I knew you Steve," Harlan said, he seemed to be defending himself.

"By the way, thanks for the presents you left me, they kept me warm on my way home," I said.

"I've got a heap in the other room if you want one now," Harlan chuckled.

"What's that?" Steve asked, suspiciously.

"Fags," I replied.

"Oh no, you're not smoking in here," Steve said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Smoking is a habit, if you're with me I don't want to see habits, habits lead to all kinds of trouble!" Steve snapped.

"Seems like someone's suddenly aged eighty years Grandpa," I mumbled.

"Are you always like this?" Steve snarled.

"No, she's alright," Harlan said.

"Good, I won't kill you then," Steve said to me, smiling. I _think _he was joking.

I spent all evening at Steve's place. I met his 'defenders', his 'club members', they helped him to plan and construct ideas. His main aim was what he was going to do about Shan but I found out that there was a war going on between the vampires and the vampaneze just as Kurda had predicted there would be and Steve had some big part to play in that. I wasn't quite sure what it was, he was very vague about it, but he was involved largely in the War of the Scars in some way. I had decided that I didn't yet trust Steve but he didn't make me nervous, his friend Gannen, on the other hand, terrified me. He seemed to have taken an immediate disliking to me for some reason.

"But Steve, Kurda said that if this war did break out then the vampaneze would win it and destroy the vampires," I said, worried.

"I should bloody well think so too!" Steve laughed.

"But Steve you're forgetting that I'm a vampire, I don't want to get wiped out!" I cried.

"Easily solved," Harlan said.

"How?" I asked.

"We'll blood you as a vampaneze, it's pretty dangerous but it's been done before," Harlan replied. I didn't say anything, I wasn't definitely saying no but it would take a lot of thinking about. The door opened with a bang and we all twisted round to see who was there.

"You're turn Gannen, good luck out there man it's raining cat's and dogs!" the man in the doorway said. He had a bushy black beard and black hair but my eyes were immediately drawn to the ends of his arms where he had hooks instead of hands. Gannen stood up and nodded, he shot me a filthy look as if he thought I was going to attack his back and then he wandered out of the door.

"Who's the girl?" R.V. asked.

"R.V. Ember, Ember R.V.," Steve yawned. At times like that I usually shook hands but somehow I didn't think that would be a very good idea with R.V. so I waved instead and smiled.

As it turned out I got on quite well with R.V. and with Gannen gone I was able to talk more comfortably with Steve as well. It was long past midnight before I decided I would have to head for home, I hugged R.V. and gave Harlan a playful punch on the shoulder. I offered my hand to Steve to shake and he brought it up to his lips and kissed it lightly.

"Come back tomorrow," he said, I nodded and made my way out of the door. I threw my school bag over my shoulder as I stepped out into the street, Gannen had been standing on the remains of the building next door but when he saw me he jumped down.

"I don't like you," he told me.

"Why?" I asked, my voice level.

"You remind me too much of Steve," he replied. That confused me but he'd leapt up onto the roof before I could question him further.

When I knocked on the door Kealan was pleased to see me, he hugged me so tightly I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head.

"Kealan, you're hurting me!" I gasped. Kealan let go of me, his eyes were watery.

"Why didn't you tell us you were safe?" he demanded.

"I was upset, I'm sorry," I replied.

"You had us really worried," Kealan sniffed.

"I'm sorry," I repeated.

"No matter," Kealan, said, smiling, "What have you been eating?"

"Nothing," I said, shrugging. Kealan frowned at me, opened the cupboard, pulled out a loaf of bread, got some butter out of the fridge and started spreading at the speed of a madman. He'd buttered up eight pieces of bread before I had to tell him to stop, he wandered over to the fridge and pulled out a jug of blood, he poured it into a glass and shoved it into my hand. Then he sent me off into the living room with the bread and blood and shut the door on me. Christo was lying on the sofa, he saw me come in but didn't bother to put his feet down.

"You're back then," he muttered.

"Kind of looks that way doesn't it?" I said.

"I was watching you, I don't like that Steve," Christo growled.

"Why not?" I asked.

"There's something not right about him, he's unhinged, I don't want you seeing him anymore," Christo spat.

"Since when were you the boss of me?" I asked, outraged.

"Since I found out you can't even look after yourself," Christo replied. I swore at him and stomped off upstairs with my meal.

Jasper woke me up at about four o'clock the next morning.

"I'm so glad you're home," he said quietly so he didn't wake anyone else.

"Where have you been?" I asked.

"I applied for a night job, I'm starting tomorrow," Jasper replied excitedly. "How about you? I heard what happened with your friend Finch,"

"I was helped out by an old friend, his name's Steve, he's a half-vampaneze," I replied, "I've been at his place."

"Steve who?" Jasper asked.

"I forget, his last name's like Lombard or something," I replied.

"Not Steve Leonard?" Jasper said.

"That's him," I said, smiling.

"Charna's gut's Ember, don't get mixed up with him," Jasper sighed, "He's nothing but trouble."  
"You know him?" I asked.

"Not personally, but I'm a vampaneze, he's the lord, the amount of horror stories I've…" Jasper began but I interrupted.

"Lord?" I gasped, "Steve is the vampaneze Lord? As in Kurda's vampaneze lord?"

"You didn't know?" Jasper asked. I shook my head, stunned into silence. That was why Steve had been so frosty towards Harlan after he found out Harlan was one of the vampaneze helping Kurda at Vampire Mountain! If Kurda had succeeded then the rein of the lord of the vampaneze would never have happened, there would have been a forced truce between the clans.

"What's he really like? I've only heard from others, I've never met him," Jasper said.

"He seems nice enough," I admitted, "A bit of an extremist maybe and he's quite easily wound up but apart from that we're pretty similar, on the same wave length I think."

"I just hope you know what you're doing Ember," Jasper sighed. I smiled at him and before I knew what was happening he had his arm around my shoulders and was kissing me deeply. I pushed him away, shocked.

"Jasper!" I cried, "What the… why… what do you think you're doing?"

"I thought that… you know… you and me…" Jasper stuttered awkwardly.

"You thought wrong," I told him, "I like you Jasper but I loved Oric."

"But he's dead," Jasper said, his eyes brimming with tears.

"I know, but I never spent enough time with him, I realized my feelings too late, I'm still regretting that, I'm still missing him and wondering what it could have been like. That's all I want to do and that's not about to change any time soon," I sighed.

"Ember you have to stop living in the past, that was two years ago," Jasper murmured.

"I know," I cried, "But I can't help it."

Jasper nodded and walked out of my room, shutting the door gently behind him.

Finch came into school the next afternoon, I saw him for the first time during the auditions for the school play. I smiled and waved at him but he just glared at me. I had science last lesson with Mr. Ovo, for once I was dreading it. I was sat next to Finch in science and I wasn't sure what chaos this might cause.

"Look, Finch, I'm sorry," I mumbled. He looked at me, his eyes confused, hurt, angry, scared.

"You should have just told me," he hissed.

"I was scared you'd react like this," I replied.

"How else was I supposed to react?" he asked.

"I thought you'd at least try and hear me out, try and understand," I said.

"Well come to my house tonight and explain it to me, I'll listen, then I can decide for myself," Finch said. I was on the point of agreeing when I remembered that I'd promised Steve I'd go to his.

"I'm going to my… uncles house tonight, I can't," I said.

"Can't I come with you?" Finch asked.

"No," I replied, a little too quickly.

"You're lying to me again Ember," Finch whined.

"Ok, I'm going to a vampire friends place," I sighed, giving in to him.

"I'll come, I'm not scared," Finch said. I shook my head.

"It will be too dangerous, my friend's are the bad sort of vampires not the good sort," I said, trying to explain it simply so a human would understand.

"There's different types?" he asked.

"Yeah, different clans, they behave differently, I'll explain tomorrow if you like, you can come to my house and I'll tell you everything," I said. Finch nodded reluctantly. I was desperate to get out of class as soon as the bell rang, I needed to see Steve about the vampaneze lord thing before Gannen woke up, he'd be sleeping until the sun went down which would be in a matter of hours so I had to hurry. When you want things to speed up something always tries to delay you, that's how it seems to me, and sure enough as the bell was going Mr. Ovo asked the class to stay for an extra few minutes so he could explain about some sort of science competition. I sat there feeling fed up, I was wondering whether I should put up my hand and ask if I could be excused. It turned out that I didn't need to because Mr. Ovo excused me without me having to ask.

"You can go if you like Ember," he said, all-knowingly.

"Why's that Mr. Ovo?" I couldn't help asking as I gathered my things.

"I could tell the class but you might get a bit _cross_, I know what's at _stake_," Mr. Ovo said, grinning as he emphasized the two words. My mouth fell open as I realized what he meant, I stood and stared at Mr. Ovo, speechless. He waved me through the door, smiling.

"Oh and Ember, I'm here all day tomorrow if you'd like to chat, I know you had some questions about blood types," he said. I hurried out of the classroom quickly and didn't feel at ease until I reached Steve's street.

R.V. was keeping watch outside, I stood and talked to him for a while to keep him company.

"I really appreciate it you know," R.V. said quietly.

"Appreciate what?" I asked, smiling gently.

"Not mentioning this," he replied with a half-smile. He raised his hooks, looking ashamed of them.

"R.V., I don't care, you're a really nice guy, I don't care if you have hooks for hands, I wouldn't care if you had a trunk for a nose, peanut acne or scales!" I chuckled. R.V. looked touched.

"I think I'm gonna cry man," he giggled. I put my arms round him and gave him a hug and he laughed properly.

"You'd better go in before Steve realizes you're out here, he'll hit the roof if he knows you've already been here half an hour, he doesn't like to be kept waiting," R.V. said eventually.

"He's not the boss of me," I said, shaking my head.

"No," R.V. sighed, but he didn't sound too sure.

"Believe me, he's not," I said firmly and then headed into Steve's apartment. I was peed off enough with Steve as it was for not telling me the truth but the suggestion from R.V. that he expected me to do whatever he said made me even madder.

"Steve!" I called as I kicked open the door of the apartment.

"Shut up, Harlan and Gannen are sleeping," Steve growled though I think it was more out of duty than concern.

"Shut up yourself, who do you think you are, my mother?" I snarled.

"Obviously not seeming as the old girl topped herself," Steve replied dryly.

"Don't you dare," I breathed, so outraged I could barely speak.

"What are you going to do about it?" Steve asked. I was lost for an answer and Steve knew it, he laughed and stood up. He came over to me and ruffled my hair.

"You can't beat me Ember, I'm too good at this, been doing it far too long," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped.

"Peas in a pod," Steve grinned, pointing from himself to me, "The only difference is I'm older than you, I've had more experience, I've matured more let's say."

Steve was smooth, he'd somehow managed to turn me from boiling over with rage to actually looking up to him and respecting him, making me feel as though we'd been joint at the hip since birth.

"Christo doesn't like you," I said casually.

"No?" Steve asked, just as casually. "Why's that?"

"He says you're unhinged," I grinned.

"Isn't he the clever one?" Steve replied.

"Jasper doesn't like you either," I said.

"I can't think why, I don't even think we've ever met. I know that your brother was spying on us a couple of nights ago but I don't think I know Jasper personally," Steve said curiously.

"He's a vampaneze that should be good enough for you," I said quietly.

"What do you mean by that?" Steve asked, he seemed to have hooked on to what I was getting at.

"You lied to me Lord Leonard," I hissed, glaring at him, our faces so close our noses almost touched.

"Oh well, I suppose I've been rumbled," Steve chuckled dryly, turning away from me.

"And you have nothing to say in your defense?" I asked.

"There's no defending destiny," Steve replied.

"Destiny, hmm, that word just keeps popping up and messing up my life," I said thoughtfully.

"It's not the word Ember, it's the creature behind it, it's the name, it's Desmond Tiny," Steve whispered eerily.

"You've had dealings with him?"

"He made me what I am."

"You trust him?"

"Of course not! But you know me, I'm ambitious, he's helped me on my way to achieving my goal, I wouldn't have been able to do this without him," Steve sighed, "I don't _like _destiny, but I'm forced to accept it."

"Well that's where you and I differ, I don't believe in destiny, Des Tiny told me that I'd kill Kurda and I didn't, it's all a load of…"

"Ah but Kurda Smahlt did die didn't he? Are you sure that had nothing to do with you?" Steve interrupted.

"Of course not, it was Darren Shan's fault, he betrayed him, not me," I said confidently.

"Don't just think about the middle of the web, did you help wind one of the threads that led to Kurda's fate?" Steve asked. I thought about it for a moment and then swore loudly. "Has realization struck?" Steve asked, grinning.

"I was the one who persuaded him to save Darren from his death sentence in the first place," I whispered, realizing that Kurda's death, no, all of my friends at Vampire Mountain, they all died because of me! If I hadn't convinced Kurda to save Darren and lead him down into the tunnels then he never would have been caught and this never would have happened.

"Sorry," Steve mumbled, obviously realizing that what he'd said had hurt me.

"It's not your fault, it's mine," I sighed and then wrapped my arms round Steve's waist and pulled him into a hug. He stiffened and then pushed me away and walked quickly into the kitchen area and came back with a beer. I smiled to myself, physical contact was obviously one of Steve's weak points.

The next day Finch came over to Kealan's house and I sat down with him and explained everything about vampires, vampaneze and what had happened to me in my life. He suggested that I should tell J.J. and Georgia and reluctantly I agreed so I called them over and explained everything again with Finch's help. They took a little convincing but after I demonstrated some of my vampire abilities they had to accept what I told them was true. For a few days after that they were acting funny around me but they soon realized that I was still the same person. I went round to Steve's apartment every night and soon it was like a second home to me. Christo and I made up after a few frosty months and became like we always were, practically inseparable. Jasper worked hard every night stacking shelves so we had some spare money. Finch got the lead part in our school play so he was happy for a long, long time afterwards. Life stayed pretty much the same for me for the next six years, I passed my GCSE's but had to leave school after that. Everyone thought I was sixteen but really I was eighteen, I had no choice but to leave school, I already looked far too young for my 'age' and there wasn't really any point in me going to university. It all started again one day when I was at Steve's place and R.V. came in.

"Hey man! Steve man! I've got news!" he said breathlessly.

"Well what is it?" Steve snapped.

"Darren Shan, he's left Vampire Mountain," R.V. said, grinning.

"Gannen!" Steve bellowed, "We're going on the road!"

R.V. turned to go back outside but the door to the apartment opened before he could reach it and someone who I'd never wanted the displeasure of meeting again strutted in. Steve leapt up from where he was sitting on the sofa as the unwelcome guest walked in.

"Desmond Tiny," Steve said, smiling uncertainly.

"Evening all," Mr. Tiny said. I backed away from him quickly and lurked in the kitchen doorway, I didn't want to be anywhere near him, I remembered too well the way he had made me feel last time I was around him.

"Why are you here?" Gannen asked, his face a picture of suspicion.

"Ah, Gannen Harst," Mr. Tiny said cheerfully, ignoring Gannen's cold look, "I've just come from a talk with your brother."

"I'm not interested in my brother, I asked why you were here," Gannen said and I had to admire his bravery then, as much as I disliked the guy he had a lot of guts to speak to Desmond Tiny like that.

"I didn't come here to be given attitude," Mr. Tiny said, his eyes blazing dangerously, "Actually I came here to warn you."

"Warn us?" Steve asked. "About what?"

"To warn you about the hunters," Mr. Tiny replied, smiling.

"Hunters?" Gannen asked.

"That's what I said, yes. I believe, Steve Leonard, that you were under the impression that you had won this war?" Mr. Tiny said, he sat down on one of the moth eaten sofa's.

"Well that's only what you'd told me Desmond," Steve replied, looking uncomfortable.

"These three hunters are coming to kill you, Steve Leonard," Mr. Tiny said, simply. "And if they do then the vampires will win this war."

"Then tell me who they are and I can send someone to get rid of them," Steve said.

"It's not that simple Steve my boy. You must kill them personally, if anyone else does it than the Vampaneze are doomed. Just like if anyone but the three hunters kills you then the vampires would be doomed, perfectly fair really," Mr. Tiny sighed, smiling.

"But it's not fair, it's three against one!" Gannen protested.

"Almost fair then," Mr. Tiny shrugged.

"And do I have no part in this?" Gannen asked.

"Of course you do, you must look after Steve, you must guard him against these hunters, that's your job, and R.V.'s too," he added, his smile widening as he looked at R.V. who didn't quite know what to make of him.

"What about Harlan?" Steve asked, obviously desperate for anyone to help him.

"The rest of the Vampaneze all have a job to fight to protect you, but Gannen and R.V. will be your guardians," Mr. Tiny replied, "Now if you don't mind I really must be off."

"Wait a minute!" I called, realizing that Gannen, R.V. and Steve had all forgotten to ask a very important question. Mr. Tiny stood up and looked at me.

"Ah! Ember Marvalo, what has it been? Eight years now wasn't it?" Mr. Tiny asked with a nasty grin.

"What are the names of the hunters?" I asked.

"Clever girl, you saved these gentlemen a lot of embarrassment and upset, shame, it would have been fun to watch them realize their mistakes," Desmond Tiny laughed. Steve gave me a grateful look.

"Who are the hunters?" I pressed.

"Their names are Larten Crepsley, Vancha March, and Darren Shan. You have an advantage over them as they don't know who you are." Mr. Tiny replied and then left before anyone could say another word.

"My brother," Gannen mumbled but Steve, R.V. and I were all looking at each other, smiles creeping onto our shocked faces.

"Unbelievable!" Steve breathed.

"Weird," I agreed.

"Yeah," R.V. nodded. Suddenly we were all disturbed out of our thoughts as the door opened. Harlan walked in followed by a ten-year-old boy.

"Darius!" I exclaimed. The boy came rushing up to me and put his arms around me.

"That's it, ignore me!" Steve grumbled.

"Oh, hi Dad," Darius said, pulling away from me and beaming up at Steve. Darius had been visiting for two years now, sneaking out of his bedroom window or pretending he was at football practice so he could come and see us. His Mum disapproved of Steve, she would have gone mental if she knew Darius was seeing him. She didn't know what Steve was but she knew what he was like and it was enough to make her not want Darius to have anything to do with him. Admittedly we'd had to feed Darius a lot of lies, he couldn't know the truth. He knew about vampires and vampaneze but we'd had to tell him that vampires killed when they fed and vampaneze didn't, otherwise he never would have trusted any of us. He thought that I, like Steve, was a half-vampaneze and I hated lying to him but it had to be done. I think Darius was probably my soft spot, having spent so much time with the vampires and vampaneze I'd turned into a fighter, a survivor and my childish, tender side had been lost. But Darius was who I cared for, Steve was set on turning him into a little warrior but I had to be there to shower him with love and affection. Steve had forgotten about that sort of thing and didn't understand that Darius was a little boy who needed to be loved, so I cared about Darius as a substitute for Steve.

"Are you going to tell him?" I asked Steve after a while of us talking about nothing.

"Tell who what?" Steve asked. I looked pointedly at Darius who was sat, half asleep next to me.

"About you going away," I said.

"Do I have to?" Steve said, "He doesn't really need to know does he?"

"Know what?" Darius yawned.

"You can't leave without telling him, you can't abandon him and leave him with no one," I said seriously.

"He'll be with you won't he?" Steve said, hopefully.

"I assumed I'd be coming with you," I replied.

"And I assumed you wouldn't," Steve growled dangerously, "I assumed that you would stay here, look after things for me, make sure my little boy is ok, and do as your bloody well told!"

"I assumed you weren't a bossy, ignorant, control freak pig!" I snarled. Steve stood up suddenly, glaring at me.

"You'd better watch what you're saying," he hissed.

"I'm not scared of you Steve, peas in a pod remember?" I grinned. Steve bunched his fists but Gannen stood up and held him back, surprising me.

"Leave her Steve," he said quietly. Steve sat down and sighed.

"I forget you're growing up," he muttered.

"How old are you?" Darius asked, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Twenty-two," I replied.

"Wow," Darius mumbled, he was drifting off to sleep fast.

"Darius, come on, your mum will be expecting you home soon," I said gently. I stared at Steve who ran his hand through his long, silvery hair, looking uncomfortable.

"Darius," he said, looking almost as uncomfortable as he was when Mr. Tiny showed up.

"Yes Dad?" Darius asked, standing up and starting to pull on his jacket.

"I'm going to be going away for a while," Steve said.

"Why?" Darius asked.

"Because I have to stop some bad vampires, it's very important son, I don't know how long I'll be gone, but Ember will be here in the evenings and she'll look after you, won't you Ember?" Steve said, looking at me hopefully. I sighed.

"Yeah of course, I'll look after you, poor old me eh?" I said, smiling and ruffling Darius' hair so he scowled at me.

I didn't realize that Steve, Gannen, Harlan and R.V. would leave so soon, but when I left Kealan's house the next evening and turned up at Steve's apartment it was empty. He had left me a note.

Dear Ember

Thanks for looking after Darius for me, sorry you couldn't come along but I think you would be more helpful staying behind here. I've left you some money in the kitchen incase you need anything. If you could just make sure you're here in the evenings incase Darius turns up. I'll keep in touch.

Sincerely Steve

I sighed and folded the note away. Darius did turn up later, he knocked on the door and I called him in. He stood in the doorway looking miserable.

"They've gone, haven't they?" he asked me. I nodded. He came and plonked himself down next to me on the sofa and rested his head on my shoulder.

"Why doesn't Dad like me?" he asked.

"Darius! What a silly thing to say!" I said. "Your Dad loves you very much, what made you say something like that?"

"He just doesn't seem to really care about me," Darius said quietly.

"He just doesn't know how to be any other way," I sighed, "But he does love you, very much, he's just very busy, he has a lot on his mind."

"I get scared," Darius mumbled.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because Dad is the Vampaneze Lord and lots of vampires want to kill him don't they? I'm not stupid Ember I know Dad's in danger," Darius said. He sat up and looked at me with sad eyes. "I don't know what I'd do without him, he understands me better than Mum ever could."

"Your Dad can look after himself, he'll be fine. And when he's not here you've got me to look after you, I promise that no matter what happens I will always be here for you, ok?" I said to Darius. He smiled at me and nodded and then we had a big hug.

A few months went by, I looked after Darius when he came calling. Steve sent letters most weeks telling me that things were going well. Then suddenly one day I let myself into the apartment to find the gang back there, they made me jump out of my skin!

"Ember! You took your time!" Steve said, smiling as I entered the apartment.

"Don't scare me like that!" I gasped. "You're back!" I added.

"We're moving," Steve announced.

"Where?" I asked.

"There are tunnels below this city that we can stay in," Steve replied.

"Why?"

"How else are we going to hide a whole army of vampaneze in the city?" Harlan said with a grin.

"…Whole… army?" I stuttered. "What army?"

"My army!" Steve declared.

"We're all going for a little drink, Vampaneze style, and I don't know about anyone else but I can't be bothered to hide the bodies," Harlan said, I could see Steve waiting for my reaction.

"You're mad," I said simply. "Why would you do that?"

"To lure the hunters here of course," Steve said, "It's time for round two!"

"What about Darius?" I asked, "Surely you're not going to let him down in these tunnels with this army!"

"Of course not, Darius doesn't matter at the moment, we'll just tell him he can't visit anymore, not for a while anyway," Steve said, waving his hand as though dismissing it.

"You'll break his heart" I muttered.

"It's war," Gannen said as if that explained everything. I knew that my opinion didn't count for anything but I still tried.

"I don't want to be a part of this war Steve," I said, stepping towards him.

"I thought this was what you wanted Ember? This will be the war that destroys Darren Shan!" Steve said quietly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "He'll come running to find us when he hears about the bodies piling up in this city, we'll have him then, I can toy with him all I like and you can help." Steve leant forward to whisper in my ear. "Gannen and Harlan don't understand this, nobody does, nobody but R.V., you and me, we know what he's like, this is personal for all three of us. It wouldn't be right if you weren't there to help."

I sighed and then smiled up at Steve.

"You stopped me from doing something stupid Steve," I grinned, "Thanks."

"There's something else," Harlan said. I turned to him.

"What's that?" I asked but Steve replied.

"We think you've been putting it off for too long, we think it's time you turned vampaneze." He said. There was an awkward silence, I just looked around the room, buying time to think. Maybe they were right, maybe it was time that I turned vampaneze. Eventually I nodded silently. I held my palms out to Steve but he shook his head.

"I'm the Lord of the Vampaneze, I'm not having any stinking vampire blood in me!" he laughed. Harlan took me by the wrists gently and led me over to the corner of the room.

"This'll be worse second time round ok?" he said gently. I nodded. "And it's not without risk," he added. I nodded more firmly this time, desperate for him to get it over and done with. When Harlan cut my fingers and pressed his palms against mine it was pretty much how I remembered it had been with Cyrus, it wasn't until Harlan pulled away and I collapsed to the floor that I started screaming. I had never known anything like it in my life, the sheer pain! The agony! I curled up into a ball, then stretched out, then clawed at the floor in desperation, trying to make it stop. Everything was hot and cold, heavy and light, pink and green, light and dark and nothing I could do would stop it. The last thing I remember was pressing myself up against the wall and clinging to my knees, drawing them up to my chin, and then I guess I must have blacked out.


End file.
